Remnants of a Pure Soul
by Acharon
Summary: Ichigo Kurosaki has died. His soul, consumed by a hollow. This is an alternate storyline, where the soul reaper we know never existed in the first place. Both the consequences of that and the existence of such a strong soul as Ichigo's in a different place brings about many changes.
1. Chapter 1: Sacrifice

-Forenote-

Hello and welcome. This will be my first submitted work to the site, and a bit of a test (also a bit short, as it is just the intro) I haven't actually written anything major for quite some time, so this is to both brush up on my own writing, and to indulge in my own little fantasies. If others enjoy it, that's the bonus.

As far as the story itself, it's based on Bleach. Obviously I do not own it, I am not Tite Kubo. But after reading all of the original manga ages ago and some other stories on this site, I found myself noticing a trend, and I cannot be sure if it's just my luck that I grabbed works that only did this: there are almost no stories that heavily diverge from the plot of the original.

Sure, there are some that take a different approach, or others that radically changed how events happened. But what I saw was that most still held to the main events of the series, just after or slightly altered due to whatever the writer had changed. Which is fine, I still enjoyed lots of them. There are some very interesting works on the site here, and I am very appreciative of anything good to read after I cleared out my local library.

BUT. Almost nothing that I read actually took in how different things would be if _this_ or _that_ happened. Because what is the catalyst and driving factor of Bleach? Ichigo. He is the single most important thing in the entire plot. I saw plenty of works say "oh, what if he did this", or "oh, what if he was like that instead". Which is okay, but it got me thinking.

Which is why I'm here. This will be a very different story from the original, and I will freely admit I drew inspiration for how it starts from several other works on this site. There will still be some major events from canon, as it is still the same universe. But most of my focus is on the catalyst of Ichigo being fundamentally altered (and not around for many things that we've seen from the series), and how exactly that would affect everything else. Altered, not different: at heart, he will he much as we all know. The issue...is when he does not _have_ a heart. As you will see.

In any case, I am sure some here are tired of me talking, but if you read all this: thank you. If you enjoy what you see (or not), please let me know. I'm sure it won't make everyone happy in the long run, but as I am not that much of a masochist, I won't strive to do so.

Let's begin.

-Forenote end-

Chapter 1: Sacrifice

Family.

Such a simple word, and yet the thought of their own would drive some men to great or terrible acts. Acts of love, of kindness, of selflessness; others to those of sin, of murder and betrayal. To many, ones life sadly leads them to one conclusion, their one act when they have exhausted every possibility. When they have nothing left to give...but their own life.

 **\--World of the Living, Karakura Town--**

The boys body tumbled down the road, the blood from wounds on his back leaving a trail on the pavement. He finally came to a stop, managing to lever himself up on the one arm that still seemed to be working, orange hair matted with blood.

 _Damn. That_ _thing is faster than I thought..._

He coughed once, painfully, more blood spattering on the ground, only barely visible in the moons light.

 _Wait...the girl!_ Visibly straining, he got to one knee, light brown eyes peering back up the road from where he had been, looking for any sign of his rescuer. He finally succeeded in catching a glimpse - just as the monster that had smashed him aside just a moment ago lifted her by the bloodied sword she was desperately holding on to.

She was already small, even to him, but against this creature it was almost impossible to imagine her kind existed to fight things like this. Easily taller than a story, the things long pale arms and intimidating mask covering its head spoke of something unnatural. Even as it lifted the girl higher towards its face, the thing let out an unearthly howl.

The boy grit his teeth, ignoring the pain from the creatures blows as he forced himself to run. Run, at this thing, this _hollow_.

"OOOOOOAH!" He roared, leaping into a kick to the arm holding that girl, that Soul Reaper. It apparently managed to hit hard enough as the hollow released the girl, who fell to the ground in surprise.

"Ichigo, you fool!" she snapped, scrambling away from the creature. "You should have run!" "Don't give me that crap when I'm saving you. We're even now." He landed again, ducking below a wide sweep from the hollows arm; it smashed into the wall next to him, gouging out a small crater.

"Even?!" She shot him another petulant glare as she raised her blade into readiness, black hair sticking together oddly from blood. She scoffed, barely dodging another heavy blow. "If this is the thanks I get after defending you and your family, you can-agh!" She cringed, deflecting the hollows fist with obvious effort. Her wounds were clearly taking a toll. Ichigo glanced to the side, seeing his sister Yuzu's unconscious form near the hole in his house the hollow had made.

Another terrifying howl from the creature drew his eyes back in time to see it smack the soul reaper away, throwing her into the street with an audible thump. She exhaled sharply, the pooling blood evident on the roadside.The hollow seemed to watch her for a moment - then inexplicably turned and began to move towards the house.

 _No!_ With a strangled yell, Ichigo tried to stop it, but any blows he dealt seemed to have no effect. He tried latching on to its arm, but all he got for the effort was another sweep that sent him flying back into a lamp post. He felt several snaps from his ribs as he shuddered in pain, struggling to keep standing.

"I-Ichigo..." The feeble voice made him turn to see the soul reaper girl propped up against a wall, coated in crimson. "We... can't stop it as it is. But I can give you the power to fight," she bit out, her breathing labored. "I can give you...half of my power...to turn you into a shinigami like me for a time."

"Are you serious, soul reaper? I'm only human," he gasped, clutching his chest in pain.

She smirked in exasperation. "It's not 'soul reaper', idiot. I'm Rukia Kuchiki. Now get over here before-" Her eyes widened in horror, looking past him. Ichigo turned to see the hollow, already at the house - looking down at his sister, horrible mouth gaping wide as it bent over. Ichigo felt a surge of white-hot fury rip through his body.

And he ran.

He ran, ignoring the pain from his injuries, ignoring his lifeblood pouring out. He ran, faster than he ever had in his life, faster than he thought possible. With a strength he didn't know he had, he grabbed the top of the hollows mask, wrenching it away from his sister. The beast howled in frustration, and Ichigo felt it begin to shake to free itself.

Ichigo let out a growl of his own, somehow managing to tug it further from his home, away from his family. He'd gotten it back to the street, when suddenly it let out a screech and flailed wildly, throwing him away again. He slammed against a wall, hard - he could hear the soul reaper, Rukia, shouting something. Forcing his eyes open, he looked up-

To see the hollow lunging at him, jaws open.

His vision went black and red, and he couldn't see anything anymore. All he felt was pain.

Then he couldn't even feel that.

He experienced an odd sensation, like falling away into nothing. His body, going numb. He could - ever so faintly - hear Rukia's voice.

All senses went out. Ichigo felt his mind slipping away, as if into sleep.

 _Yuzu...Karin..._

The last thing he felt was hot surge of anger, and something deep in his center flared in response...

And he was gone.

\--

Rukia Kuchiki stared in disbelief as the boy, Ichigo, fell from the hollows teeth. A horrible wound covered his torso, and the pool of his lifeblood was already growing. She could see the light fading from his eyes.

She felt sick. Another life, taken in front of her. And what a life. Infuriating, for the short time she had known him, frustrating because he wouldn't listen to her orders.

But brave. So brave in defense of his family that he had fought, so hard it beggared belief, against a monster that he had never even believed in until a short time ago.

 _His family..._

Rukia forced herself to look towards the home, the hole blown through the wall where she could still see the two prone and unconscious forms of Ichigo's sisters. She knew his father lay further in the house, injured but alive.

She shakily managed to stand, grasping her zanpakuto as hard as she could, blood making the grip slick. She assumed as good a stance as she could as the hollow noticed her movements. It seemed to look at her for a moment, possibly wondering how it was that she was still standing. It then slammed its hands on the ground and bellowed at her. Rukia felt a cold hand go down her spine, and she knew this was her final stand. She knew she would either protect what that young man gave his life to, or she would die in the process.

She would not run.

 _Kaien..._

Finding new strength, she mustered all her remaining spiritual energy, the wind whipping up around her form. Normally she would never do something like this and risk interfering with the mortal world - but she would not let this beast simply win.

It charged, leaping at her with all the grace of a freight train, and with just as much power. She couldn't take a blow like that. She dodged to the side, turning her blade to the side and trying to use the hollows momentum against it - to no avail. The skin on its hands proved hard enough to deflect her strike, the force wrenching it from her hands. She cursed and backpedaled, mind racing.

 _No weapon, so...kido._

She knew any quick spell she could muster would never be enough, not for this hollow. She was always good with the incantations, so that wasnt the worry. The problem was that she didnt know if she had the power for what she wanted.

Another quick dodge and a glance toward the house made up her mind. She whipped her eyes around, looking for an opening away from any innocents - _there!_

Ducking under another wide blow, she summoned all of her strength, and began chanting.

"Oh Lord! Mask of flesh and bone, the flutter of wings-"

The hollow, giving another howl at being evaded, lunged towards her, arms outstretched. Rukia leapt backwards, planting her feet against the lamp post she found there and pushing off, shooting back towards the damaged home.

"You who bears the name of Man!"

She skid to a stop, almost touching the wreckage of the front wall, and whirled around to face the hollow, who came running back at her, deep in its fury.

"Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams, unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws!"

The hollow was almost upon her, charging on all fours as if it was some sort of primate, blind to what she was doing as she saw it line up with the street behind it.

 _Now!_ She swiftly raised her right hand, palm forward, with her left hand holding to brace it. Focusing all her might, she shouted her final command to the sky.

"Hado thirty-three: _Sokatsui!_ "

One could have said the charging hollow had the intelligence enough to look curious as her palm lit up: it was then blasted away by the explosive force of her spell, taking the form of a huge blue wave of light. The creature's form was lost within the glow, as the attack blazed down the empty street and into the sky, lighting up the entire neighborhood.

Rukia stood in the aftermath, panting for breath. That had taken nearly all of her spirit: any more and her life would be in danger. She lowered her arms wearily. She was just glad it had worked-

A sound at the end of the street froze her thoughts. A shifting of rubble, the heavy thump of a massive form shifting its weight.

A savage and pained howl broke the silence, shattering any last hope Rukia had of winning this battle. If that blast hadn't finished it off, there was nothing more she could do. She had expended every ounce of her energy with that kido.

Rukia collapsed to her knees as the sounds of the approaching hollow slowly shuffled towards her, and as it appeared through the lingering smoke, she had the unpleasant moment of realizing her attack had only just barey left the creature alive. Its pale hide was scorched and burned, and an entire section of its fish-like mask was cracked. One of its legs had been blown away with only a charred stump remaining.

 _That explains why I'm not already dead, it has to drag itself along._ Rukia leaned back on her knees wearily, knowing her time was at an end. The hollow finally managed to reach her, and reared up as best as it could, arms straining to the sky as it howled its victory. She watched them start to come down at her, almost in slow motion. She closed her eyes.

 _Brother..._

She heard an odd metallic rasping sound, and tensed for the creatures fists to kill her, only to realize it hadn't hit her yet. She cautiously looked up, only to stare in amazement at a familiar silhouette standing in front of her; his long, viciously spiked blade retracting to its standard form, the quickly fading body of the dead hollow visible behind him. Red spiky hair tied up in a ponytail and his black clothes completed the ensemble as he rested the weapon on his shoulder and turned around, cocking a tattooed brow in her direction.

"Renji..?" The man cracked a smug grin.

"Yo. What happened to you? A hollow like that shouldn't have been able to give you the time of day," he taunted. Rukia felt her face turn an embarrassed red: Renji Abarai always did have a penchant for pushing her buttons.

"T-there were...extenuating circumstances!" she exclaimed, gesturing wildly at her surroundings. "Clearly, or you wouldn't have fired off a kido like that, even if that was how I managed to find you so quickly." Her friend looked around, his cocky expression falling quickly as he noticed the amount of blood and rubble coating the area. His sharp eyes didnt miss the three unconscious forms just inside the house - or the body laying by the street.

Renji slowly made his way over, picking his way carefully through the rubble. Upon reaching the corpse, he crouched down, a pensive expression crossing his angular features. "From the wreckage around here and his wounds, I can only imagine he gave that hollow quite a fight...for a human."

Rukia managed to stand, wiping the gore off of her zanpakuto and sheathing it, giving a small, bitter smile.

"He was...a very special soul."

 **\--Hueco Mundo, the Menos Forest--**

The caverns were silent, save for the slow, heavy footsteps of the Menos Grande. They stood or moved about ponderously through the caves, the monolothic crystal-like trees that held the ceiling up the only defining feature in the area, faint light from small gaps in the roof the only illumination. These colossal hollows were born here, each an amalgamation of countless other hollows and souls. As a result, they were mindless; no cohesive thought came through to the fore, they simply acted on their instincts. Passive until an enemy appears, or if a higher class of hollow gave them orders.

Hundreds of feet tall, they all appeared the same. A large white mask, plain eyes and teeth with an oddly long nose were its only real features. Their entire body shrouded in a black sort of robe, with only the massive feet visible as they moved.

These beings stood, waiting. A distant howl was the only sound for a time, then even that faded.

Silence.

Then, with hardly a noise, another Menos appeared. It seemed to coalesce slowly from a particularly dark corner, slowly gaining height as the creature reared its torso back, mask forming as it straightened. As it finished appearing, it seemed to stand still for a moment, as if to allow this dark place to truly behold its arrival.

It was different.

The robes and general appearance were the same; the mask, however, was where this Menos differed.

Pure white, the same as any hollow, but flat, with only eyes and teeth. The mask was rounded at the top, coming to an angled point at the chin. Three crimson lines came from the left temple, sloping down to a fine point where a nose would be. After a moment, two baleful yellow eyes opened, and the Menos let out an impossibly loud howl, causing the nearby area to shake from the force of its awakening.

 _Where...are...we..._

The creature ceased its scream, massive jaws clicking shut. It turned sluggishly, noticing its Menos kin nearby. They had barely even reacted to it.

The hollows eyes closed.

 _We..._

It's head shook once, violently.

 _I...am..._

The hollow could feel an aching in its body, pulsing out in waves of something it was not familiar with. Its gaze opened once more, settling on the surrounding Menos.

 _...hungry..._


	2. Chapter 2: Ravenous

-Forenote-

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

With the introduction out of the way, we can get down to the meat of the actual story. Sorry again for how short that first part was, but for dramatic effect, that last scene worked better as is. As you may have noticed, the mask I used on the Menos is the not the first actual mask form that shows up in canon, it is the second, from Ichigo's fight with Renji. I always considered it to be the first active sign of the hollow showing itself. Obviously this is a much different situation, but I feel like it's still a good way to start off; something familiar in an unfamiliar scenario.

Speaking of, several chapters ahead (including this one) will be fairly full of info dumps. I'll be working them in smoothly so they aren't just "THAT'S HOW THIS WORKS" sorts of text walls, but they are necessary to refresh both the readers knowledge of canon Bleach mechanics (just in case) and to simply flesh out the world. Characters are important, but if you can picture the scenario as well as what's happening with minimal effort, _that's the good_ _stuff._

As you will notice, I have (after quite a lot of discussion with a friend of mine) made some rather significant decisions as far as forms and dates and all that. I was also surprised to learn that pretty much ALL of the things that happened in the canon series with Ichigo were only within about a year. A _fucking year._ It was apparent in the actual series, but it somehow hadn't dawned on me how close together it all was. So, with that, I had to try and piece together events and who was around or otherwise at the time that this takes place. Not an easy task, because I couldn't find almost any sort of timeline for what happens in Hueco Mundo. Which, I will admit, I may still be wrong in my assumptions about that; but I will take solace in the fact that I gave it a damn good effort at coaxing it into a workable scenario. Some may like these changes, some may find them interesting, and even more will probably call me a heretic.

I get that. But I'm enjoying writing this, and if you don't happen to like it, you are not required to read it.

Also, I've actually no idea how feedback works on this site, I personally just follow or favorite things I like. I don't know if PMs work for it or if it would be smart to make a forum for discussion or something. I'll look into it, but if someone knowledgeable out there has a good idea, shoot it my way.

-Forenote end-

Chapter 2: Ravenous

The pale white sands of Hueco Mundo were said to be nearly infinite. No known end to it existed, and any who tried to find something of the sort rarely returned. Had it not been for the inherent warring nature of its inhabitants, something more may have been discovered.

The only defining features were the bright moon overhead, said to show the opposite lunar cycle as in the human world, and the occasional patches of short, spindly trees made of a quartz-like substance; the very top branches of the gargantuan formations below the surface that seemed to hold the entire layer up, creating the gap known as the Menos Forest.

This is the only place the Menos were known to reside, as they were almost never seen on the surface. The presence of stronger hollows in the open environment also drove some of their weaker bretheren down into the relative safety of the forest, where many were never seen again.

Alive, at least.

There was only one reason to go into the forest otherwise: to bring the Menos along on a raid to the world of the living. To this end, two bulky forms were seen running along the sands towards a small rise in the otherwise unremarkable surface. A small line of black below signaled that there was an entrance to the caverns.

One was short and stocky, with a mask like a boar encasing his head, two sharp tusks at the front. Lines of dark fur ran down his brown skinned limbs, accentuating its beast-like nature.

The other, a rather wide four-legged creature, traversed the sands in a thunderous, booming way quite a far distance behind the boar. Its mask and form was nondescript, and the dark markings on its surface seemed only to enhance the appearance of its massive jaws. The boar stopped at the top of a large dune, looking back at its companion. He snorted angrily, breath clouding in the cool air.

"You slow bastard!" He shouted, the voice guttural and low. The other hollow either didn't hear or didn't care to respond, causing it to growl in annoyance. "We're never going to make it if this keeps up." It abruptly sat on the dune, determined to wait - just not very patiently. The hollow scanned the area carefully, seeming to calm itself some.

 _This is all to evolve...I need to be more cautious. My survival depends on this big idiot._ The two hollows were known as adjucha: the class directly superior to the Menos gillians. They were created after consuming enough energy - either from soul reapers, humans, or even other hollows - to evolve into their current forms. As gillians, they had been little more than semi-sentient animals. Now, as adjucha, they were much more intelligent, with the dominant soul and consciousness ruling over the rest. Their forms were smaller than gillian, but still quite large in most cases, and strongly reflected the individuals soul itself. Some took on aspects of various animals, some as large insectoid creatures, and even more were unrecognizable except as some sort of terrifying type of beast.

Such as the boars ally. He tossed another glance at the still-distant hollow, noting with some relief that it was at the least much closer than before. Its four almost insect-like legs alternated steps as its long body undulated, throwing itself forwards, its wide mask moving side to side hypnotically as it ran.

Another snort steamed in the air as he returned to his thoughts, a scan of the area showing nothing new.

He couldn't help but think of what was to come if their plans worked out as intended. The next step in evolution - into becoming vasto lordes. They were the peak of achievement in Hueco Mundo, the strongest known form of hollow in existence. Said to be as small as a human and infinitely more powerful than any other being in this realm, they were what every conscious hollow yearned to be.

It was no simple task, however, to reach that level. Adjucha like himself were prone to the same bottomless hunger they had as normal hollows and gillians. In fact, this was even more dire for every adjucha than any other hollow: if they did not regularly consume the energy and souls of other beings to sustain their own individuality, they would eventually regress in evolution and once again become a simple Menos. Lost in the swarm of souls that made up their existence, they would never again be able to ascend to the fore. The thought of that, for most hollows, gnawed at their minds more than the incessant urge to feed. Thus, the desire to search for new sources of energy to consume.

He had heard rumor that if a piece of an adjucha was consumed by another, their evolution would simply stop - both to advance and to degrade. No more risk of becoming a gillian again, but no chance of ever becoming more powerful.

The thought had crossed his mind many times.

The hollow unwillingly remembered his last meal several days before. The joy of the hunt, the pleasure of realizing his opponent was putting up a good fight for once, the well-earned victory.

Then the sinking realization after consuming them, feeling his energy barely increase. How long had it been since he had felt his power grow with each kill? How many hundreds, if not thousands of hollows of varying strengths had he eaten?

 _When was the last time I had any hope of becoming stronger?_

The boar surged upright, violently shaking the thoughts from his mind as he stood, muscles tensed in some unspeakable emotion. He swiveled, checking the sands around. From the shaking of the ground, his companion was close, and he could never have too many allies.

Giving his tusked head another shake, his eyes focused on the other hollow as it plodded up, breathing heavily behind its mask.

"That took you long enough," the boar growled, irritation from his internal thoughts seeping out. Glowing eyes peered at him for a moment, devoid of any visible emotion, then gave a sort of rolling shrug, turning back towards the dark opening they had been heading to. It had never spoken even a single word. He nodded, resigned to another long run.

Another grumpy snort, and they were off.

 **\--The Menos Forest--**

After they had reached the opening some time later, the journey downward began. Some of the gaps were chasms, leading down for an indeterminate amount of time before simply dropping into the forest below. The pair, however, had found a much smaller path down, seemingly carved into the rock. It twisted and turned, in some places nearly too small for the larger of the pair to make it through.

But make it they did, sometimes having to break open a an opening to other tunnels simply to fit.

Finally, after many hours, the rock finally gave way, leading to a small shelf overlooking a large expanse of the forest. The faint light shining down only showed a small area directly below, the rest was an impenetrable black.

The boar had an odd sense of foreboding looking down at this place; whether it was from the inherent atmosphere, the fact that he had not returned here since his last evolution, or somthing else, he could not tell. Glancing to his companion once, he dropped down, pushing off of several of the gargantuan trees to slow his descent.

He landed in the middle of a large clearing, where he had expected to see at least a few of the gillians wandering around as they usually did.

Nothing was there.

Attempting to peer into the surrounding shadows, he started in surprise as the other hollow landed heavily behind him, sending up a small cloud of dust from the impact around each of its legs. Sending it a small glare, he went back to his search, listening for any other noise indicating where the gillian were.

Still nothing. It was as if the forest around them was empty.

The boar felt a chill run through him. This was not normal, not from everything he'd seen. The large Menos were supposed to be everywhere down here, and yet not even a sound or trace was to be seen.

"The gillians dont normally move around much, do they?" He wondered aloud, looking to the other hollow in the hopes it had some idea. From the narrowed eyes and a small shake of its head, those hopes were dashed. Something was not right here.

"Come on. We'll at least find one before we open the garganta, that should make it safe enough if some soul reapers show up." He randomly picked a direction, trotting slowly into the dark, his ally following behind as quietly as it could.

They wandered for a while, noticing nothing out of place except the oppressive silence. He couldn't help glancing back to make sure the other hollow was there just in case, realizing that he was truly nervous.

Abberations in such a place as Hueco Mundo were not common. It was not a natural living place such as the mortal realm, and nothing except the passing of a particularly powerful entity could affect anything enough to cause a disturbance in the world.

The Menos being absent was certainly abnormal. They were, by essence, not fully conscious. They were masses of souls where if one was not asserting dominance over the others, they had no mind capable of truly independent action. Therefore, they normally were anywhere and everywhere in this place. They did not form packs or roam.

The boar was just considering the final option when the two passed between two of the monolithic trees - and spotted a gillian in the distance. Exhaling a breath he hadnt realized he was holding, he nodded to his partner and leapt towards the silhouette.

As he approached, he couldn't help but examine the Menos warily. It was alone, its back to him, facing out into the blackness of the forest. As he closed, he yelled out to get the creature's attention.

It turned, and his entire being recoiled in shock.

As it moved, he fully saw the scale of it against the trees nearby; it was absolutely massive. Taller than any other gillian he'd seen, taller than anything he had even imagined, its head nearly grazed a lower portion of the caverns ceiling as it shuffled to face him. The mask then caught his attention, chilling him even further and causing him to skid to a halt some distance away.

 _It's unique._ The mask it wore had no features other than three deep red lines, running from the side to narrow down to tips between its eyes. The gargantuan creature stopped moving once it was facing him, looking down at the pair as his companion also stopped nearby. The boar looked to it and noticed it was further back than he was, staring at the gillian in front of them in confusion - and something else he couldn't place.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, the boar turned back to the Menos, realizing it was still watching them with an odd curiosity.

 _It's very...awake for a Menos, and that mask clearly means there's a strong soul guiding it. I can't imagine it will take long for this thing to evolve._ He observed it carefully for a moment; he didn't like the way it held itself somehow, as if it was on edge.

 _All the more reason for our raid._ "Gillian, we're making a run to the human world to gather souls. You'll be coming with us." It didn't respond at all. The boar frowned slightly under its mask. "With how you appear, maybe you'll get enough power to evolve."

That seemed to catch the attention of the gillian, as its glowing eyes widened slightly.

 _Proper motivation, I see._ The boar hollow barked out a laugh, crossing it's arms haughtily. "That's right. You look strong, so it probably wont take much to get you to turn into a powerful adjucha like us," he gestured behind him at his ally. The creatures massive head tilted slowly to one side, as if watching something. It wasn't looking at him anymore, he realized. He followed its gaze to see it fixated on his large, four-legged companion, who was...backing away?

The boars mind went blank as he watched its legs slowly, ever so slowly inch backwards, its long body lowered down. It was acting like it was trying to escape the gillians watchful stare, the look in its eyes strangely wary. He whipped back to the gillian to see the massive creatures glowing orbs narrowed, following every tiny movement as if entranced.

His mind raced, something deep in his core recognizing the behavior.

 _Like a predator stalking its prey..._

Before he could act, the hollow scurried backwards, disappearing behind one of the trees the forest was named for; and faster than he thought possible, the Menos bent down - and leapt after it, the ground shattering in its wake.

 _Impossible..._ He watched it vanish surprisingly quickly into the unlit area, its black robes perfectly concealing it's titanic form. Frozen in place, he heard various stomping noises, the sound of skittering feet from the smaller hollow-

A horrible echoing screech emanated from the shadows; he could hear struggling. And all too suddenly it was cut off, replaced by a sickening crunching and snapping.

 _Gillians don't move like that!_

The boar snapped out of its confusion, jumping as high and as fast as it could. It found a foothold near the top of a monolithic tree, hidden in the shadows, its breath coming in panicked bursts. It had no time to mourn the loss of his ally - for he knew that scream had come from the four-legged hollow in its last moments.

The hollow dying wasn't what terrified him: it was how. The Menos hadn't simply attacked them, firing off a cero or attempting to crush them underneath its feet as would any normal gillian.

 _It's trying to feed, not just kill._ With a sinking realization, he knew precisely where all the other menos in the area must have gone; consumed by this monster in its urge to feast. Normal menos were passive, they would never have a chance against something like this. To his knowledge, no gillian had _ever_ been so aggressive, even when a strong soul managed to take control.

The hollow paused, focusing all it could on its surroundings, suppressing every trace of its spiritual energy possible.

The noise had stopped.

He peered around the area below his perch warily, straining to see through the shadows, to catch a glimpse of this massive gillian. To his surprise, he couldn't see even where the beast might be; it had vanished. Amazed something that large could hide its presence so well, the fact that it even could and clearly knew how to sent another cold wave down his back. This thing was clearly ahead of its class.

Teeth grinding, he felt his hackles rise; something in his core deeply rejected that line of thought. He was still an adjucha, a higher form on an evolutionary scale. If this monster wanted his soul, he was going to have to fight for it.

He unfortunately did not have the time to think of a plan as the gillians massive hands suddenly appeard from below, reaching around the pillar from both sides, huge pale fingers almost delicately crawling up the pilllar to find him.

Cursing, he leapt out of the way, falling towards the distant ground; the gillian immediately came rushing around to meet him.

The hollow grinned, the heat of the moment taking over, as it brought both hands together. A tiny red orb formed, rapidly growing to dwarf his torso in size as he funneled all of his power into it. "You can eat this then!" He roared, thrusting the cero forwards at the gillian, its jaws already open wide as it lunged at him.

The technique unleashed a torrential wave of crimson red energy, fully consuming the beast in a massive explosion. The entire cavern shook, small shards of rock falling from the ceiling overhead. The boar spun as it fell, landing heavily in the cloud of dust his blast had thrown up. He couldn't see anything; the unfortunate repercussions of such an attack in such an enclosed space. Standing, he scanned the area where he last saw the creature. He couldn't imagine any gillian being able to withstand a cero like that, but he wasn't taking any chances.

The dust began to settle, and he managed to see its form, partially draped across one of the trees, its head bent back, mask out of view. Its massive body was still smoking slightly.

The boar could only admire the creature; in almost any other situation, that would have vaporized a normal Menos. This thing acould have become quite the force to be reckoned with. It may even have been able to become a vasto lorde in the end, had it not attacked them first.

He let out what sounded like an amused snort, quickly stepping towards the creatures body to finish it off -

A colossal white hand shot out, crushing him in it's grip, the gillians unusual mask appearing as it lifted its head. There were several scorch marks covering its surface, but it seemed unharmed otherwise.

The creature finally stood, holding the hollow close to its face. It hadn't relented in its strength, and it was all the boar could do to stay conscious as he choked on his own blood, body shuddering as bones snapped and splintered under the pressure. He managed to see its jaws opening wide before his vision blacked out. He had a faint feeling, an odd satisfaction, dying like this. This Menos would make it to where he wasn't able to, he was sure of it; to the very top of the hierarchy. Whether through instinct or sheer power, this creature had both in excess.

He would be there, in a way, to witness it.

\--

The gillian finished consuming the other hollow, letting its remains fully dissolve and merge with itself. Immediately after, it felt a strong _thump_ emanate from its core, and bent over slightly as it began to radiate light and heat. Its shape began to blur at the edges as it shrank rapidly, finally coalescing into a much smaller body.

It appeared, at first glance, to be some sort of reptilian creature. It had a wide, heavyset torso and four thick limbs, standing at nearly two dozen feet in height. The back two had reversed joints, leading down to large reptilian feet, complete with sharp claws. The forelegs extended slightly to the sides, adopting a low, wide stance, and ended in long, viciously serrated talons. Its head was covered by a bone-like structure as always, but had morphed several feet forwards into a squared, blunt-nosed head and snout; oversized, angled teeth lined its powerful jaws. There were two white horns protruding from the top that curved backwards before looping around and jutting nearly four feet forwards into lethally sharp points. Its glowing yellow eyes were shrouded by thick ridges of bone, and coupled with jagged red marks running down to its topmost teeth, they turned its appearance from being simply intimidating to outright terrifying. The rest of its thick body was a pale gray, odd black lines undulating down its limbs from a point on the shoulders and hips. From the back of its mask a large bushy mane appeared, colored a vivid orange, running to a midpoint down the creatures back. Further down its torso a thick tail emanated, a dozen feet in length. It tapered to a fine point, the same marks on the limbs running down on all sides to cover the last foot or so in an inky black cap.

The only thing missing from its dragon-esque appearance were wings, but anything looking at this powerful beast would have no doubt it was likely mobile enough even without that.

The large hollow shifted after a minute, breath escaping its parted jaws in a steaming cloud. The eyes blinked several times, and it stretched mightily, talons slicing into the rock beneath it with seeming ease, muscles rippling under its thick skin. Back arched, it let out a vicious roar. No longer the mindless howl of a hollow; this was deep, growling bellow of a true predator.

 _I'm awake!_ He shook his large head, dispelling any lingering sluggishness. For the first time, he could clearly think! The cacophony of emotions and noise that had plagued him in his previous form were gone - only a tiny whisper remained, and he quenched that with hardly a thought.

Examining his new form, he brought one taloned paw up and grabbed a nearby piece of rubble. Holding it carefully, his weight shifted onto his massive left shoulder as he rotated it slowly; then ground it into dust with a twist. Eyes lit up in a satisfied way, he flexed all the digits on that hand, noting the strange tattoos leading up to his torso, turning to see the similar markings on his tail and back legs.

Feeling rather pleased with the results, he surveyed the area, noting the scars in the terrain from his fight with the other two adjucha - if it could have been called a fight. All he clearly remembered was faking his own defeat, even if the cero that the other hollow fired had stung more than expected.

For a moment he experienced an unexpected pang of remorse for attacking first, even if it had been mostly instinctual. The two had at least tried to reason with him, and may have turned out to be valuable allies. On the other hand, who knows how long it would have taken to evolve if he hadn't eaten them.

 _What's done is done. Trying to stay sane much longer in that form would have killed me._

He glanced around the damaged cavern once more, then loped off in a brighter direction, looking for an exit to the depressing place; he had been here long enough.

\--

Several hours later he managed to find a wide enough opening in the caverns roof, legs surging as he leapt off one of the colossal trees, he easily found purchase on the wide ledge he found. Looking ahead, he was faintly surprised to see a broad tunnel, slowly rising upwards as it went. Shrugging mentally, he powered up the slope, long limbs and muscle making quick progress. To say he was happy with his transformation was an understatement.

He was free.

Free to leave these dismal caverns, free to roam where he pleased; for who could stop him as he was now?

Seeing brighter light ahead, he pushed more power into his run, racing along the tunnels length. He burst out into open air, seeing the surface of this world for the first time. Pure white sands, endless in their breadth. A dark sky, punctuated only by a crescent moon that appeared to be the only source of light he could see.

 _What about_ _the stars?_ The thought leapt to his mind, emanating from some deep corner of his consciousness. He frowned underneath the mask. Why would there be? This wasn't the living world, he knew that, yet still the image would not go away.

But when had he seen a sky filled with stars?

"What's this? You're only an adjucha..."

The voice came immediately to his right, and in his surprise he immediately lashed out with a claw. To his surprise, he didn't hit or see anything there, skidding to a halt in the sand.

"That was quite rude."

His head whipped back around, catching a glimpse of the speaker as he leapt away, jaws open, a crimson cero charging instictively. The being, shaped like a normal human with long turquoise hair, seemed to sigh. It didn't move an inch as it watched him land, forelegs stamping into the ground as he leaned forwards. The technique grew wider, as wide as his torso; with a wild roar he unleashed it, feet digging into the dunes from the force.

All he could see was the crimson energy surging forwards after he cut it off - until it vanished. Astonished, all he saw was the being standing in the exact same place.

 _What the hell?_

It was leaning back slightly, cheeks bulging out. It shifted forwards - and a massive turquoise cero blasted past him in an instant, searing his flank. He shouted, surprised, moving away as quickly as he could-

His head jerked to the side, a hand gripping part of his mane as he was slammed to the ground, sand kicking up from the impact. He howled in pain as another hand grabbed one of his horns, yanking his view up-

To see a spectacularly annoyed female face glaring down.

 _If looks could kill_ was the phrase that came to mind, not that the woman needed that to do so; she seemed perfectly capable of manhandling him in the first place.

A fact he was very aware of, as one of her deceptively delicate hands now rested just above his left eye. She stared at him for several moments before calmly saying, "are you done?"

A pause, a single slow nod.

Her expression lightened some as she released her grip, stepping back as he rolled to his feet, towering over her form with little effort. He met her pale green eyes with his own glowing orbs. He couldnt help but inspect what he saw there; the fact she had been able to throw his huge form around with no apparent strain was something he could not simply ignore - if only for his own safety.

It was only then he noticed what appeared to be half of a hollow's mask from the teeth up resting atop her hair, leaving her fine features fully exposed. The mask fragment was a pure bone white, with two small, curled horns on the sides, like a ram. An odd round pink mark stretched across the bridge of her nose, ending high on her cheeks. She wore some sort of form-fitting and padded clothing, hiding her exact form, but showing a tall and well-developed body all the same. A sheathed blade sat at her hip, hung by a black belt, one slender hand resting on its hilt. Otherwise, she appeared to be just human - though the aura she gave off spoke of a hollow. She cocked a slim brown at his inspection. "So are you going to say anything, adjucha? Or can you not speak?"

He hadn't even thought to speak; though he hadn't exactly had a chance to try yet. He took a wary breath. "Who are you?"

The woman gave him a curious look. "Why do you sound like that?"

"...What?"

"Your voice, its...layered, like there are two people speaking. You hadn't noticed?"

"This is the first time I've spoken at all." Her other brow raised to meet its twin as she hummed contemplatively.

"So then you _were_ the source of power I'd sensed. Interesting. How are you only an adjucha, someone with your strength is usually a-"

"Who. Are. You?" He demanded, a growl slipping into the syllables, frustration and impatience getting the better of him. The woman sighed again.

"I am an arrancar. My name is Nelliel tu Odelschwank."

"...Arrancar?" She nodded, knowing he wanted something more detailed. "Arrancar are hollows that have managed to remove their masks, becoming closer to humans or shinigami in exchange for a large increase in power - and cognitive ability, for the most part. Though you, even as an adjucha, are quite reasonable already."

His large head tilted to the side in question. "You aren't attacking me anymore, are you?" She asked in amusement.

 _Fair enough._ His rolling shrug only made Nelliel smile wider, making her seem rather mischevious. "So, how about you? What's your name?"

A long silence ensued. "...I don't know."

Her eyes widened, lips parted in surprise.

"The first memory I have is of myself as a gillian. Though there's not much I even remember from that, due to..."

"Obvious reasons, right." Nelliel finished for him, comprehension dawning on her expression. "That must be why you don't have something at the very least, you were probably never a normal hollow in the first place...but then how could your soul come be in control? You're clearly very strong, but why..? Hmm." The woman suddenly became very animated, muttering to herself for a minute before whirling back and looking up at him cheerily.

"Well you can't go around without a name, even here! So I'll give you one!"

"...Why?"

Nelliel paused, a rather innocent expression flitting across her face. "Because I have a good feeling about you. Do you have any ideas?"

 _What kind of reasoning even is that..?_ The bulky hollow sighed internally, searching his lacking memory for anything relevant. He felt an odd sense of something whispering in the back of his skull, causing him to shake his head in irritation. The motion brought his eyes to the small sliver of the moon, its light seeming to clear the sensation he was feeling, and he felt just as much as he heard the voice for an instant.

"...getsu..."

Nelliel looked back up in surprise, having assumed a pensive position on a nearby dune. She followed his eyes. "What was that?"

"I remembered something...I think. I can't seem to bring it back though." His odd voice still conveyed a subtle tone of frustration. She watched the hollows long claws dig into the sand before turning her gaze back to the sky.

"Getsu...shingetsu. The crescent moon," She said in explanation as he swiveled his neck to look at her. "It could also mean new moon. And, well, from what you say, you are as new as they come."

He snorted in amusement, turning back to face the sky thoughtfully. "Shingetsu, huh?"

The woman smiled softly. "If I'm not mistaken, I'd say that's a yes, at least until you remember something else. I think I'll call you Shin, for honesty. Otherwise it feels too much like a title, especially if we're friends."

 _Friends?_ He swung back around. He would admit a part of himself had enjoyed their little talk, but the rest of his being wanted nothing more than to continue feeding, to satiate the craving that still lingered from his previous form. He couldn't tell if it would ever truly stop.

But now, as opposed to when the two adjucha had approached him, his mind was clear. He could think, he could rationalize, he could reason.

And he could not see any reason in denying the pleasure he felt in having someone nearby that had nothing to fear from him.

Shin looked down at his new ally, his friend. "Thank you...Nelliel."

She laughed, the bell-like sound happy and pure as it rang out among the wastes. "Please," she began, waving a hand dismissively, "call me Nel. I won't stand on ceremony if I dont have to, which I certainly don't all the way out here. Though speaking of, Pesche and Dondochakka-"

"Excuse you."

"-are probably looking for...wait, what?"

They traded confused looks. Shin felt a strange heat rise under his mask. "Oh. Those were _names_. Uh...nevermind."

He looked to the side gruffly, embarrassed, as Nel rolled on the sands for several minutes, roaring with laughter.

 _Well thats a great_ _start._ He grumbled, annoyed with himself, as the other hollow cheekily perched herself on his back, still giggling as she pointed him towards a small silhouette in the distance he hadn't noticed before.

As she assured him that was their destination, he began padding his way towards it, his mind pleasantly calm.

If this was any indication of how his life might be from now on, if even for a short time...

He would gladly seek it out.


	3. Chapter 3: Sanity

-Forenote-

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

I had a hard time with this chapter.

I actually rewrote the majority of it after getting most of it done as I realized my sense of time was horrible as per usual. So that means I had to make some changes and such for things to flow well.

And to be honest, looking back at chapter 2 it seems like a continued intro, with it establishing the situation and such. Which I think this requires a pretty good amount of that; not a problem, but thats just how it turned out.

To those who are enjoying this anyways, thank you kindly. I did see one reader saying it felt a bit rushed, which I do get, but I have a plan. A plan that does not involve long and fairly uninteresting sections of a nameless hollow (though you know damn well who he is) roaming Hueco Mundo just...eating. That's pretty much all adjuchas do, we know how it works, and that section will not last long.

The pacing from now on will probably be slower as it takes the time to really expand on character aspects - once that is an option for our protagonist here. Some of this will not be exactly happy or pleasant, but these are hollows, and as much as we may like to think of the ones we know as fairly civilized, the race(?) overall is literally based around negative emotion. Its not all sunshine and rainbows.

Don't get me wrong, I do love some fun little interactions and all that, but this is very much an event and story driven narrative. Depending on feedback and my inherent traits as a hopeless romanticist, there will be opportunities for some more light-hearted sections. After all, it's not as if we need to rush towards canon events: there are pretty good gaps in between major things outside of Hueco Mundo I intend to utilize fully.

Anyways, I'll probably be set on getting a new chapter out every week or so at the latest. I don't want to restrict myself by a weird time limit for creative purposes, but that seems like a good amount of time for me to prepare a well thought out entry, taking into account any delays caused by real life things. Or writers block.

And yes, I know about the little typos. I'm literally writing on my phone, mostly in my free time at work, and for some reason it doesn't always save quite right. I'll be heading back once a chapter is out to check just in case it didn't save my editing. Of which I do a lot.

-Forenote end-

Chapter 3: Sanity

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Oh come on, live a little."

"Too late for that."

"But you have such a nice mane..."

"No."

Nel frowned, the green-haired hollow crossing her arms and pouting slightly. "You really are no fun. Not even a single braid?"

Shin, draconian body swaying underneath her perch on his back, growled, tail sweeping wide in irritation. The sound rumbled out like the grinding of stone, heavy with the hints of his patience wearing thin. They - he - had been running for what felt like weeks, the arrancar almost always riding on his broad shoulders. When he asked why she didn't run herself, she had simply replied, "Because I'm not going to leave you behind." He distinctly remembered how fast he had seen her move, and conceded the point.

Nel had gone on to explain how dangerous it was for any single adjucha out this far in the wastes, and why she wouldn't leave. He had then, feeling slightly managed, asked why someone like her was even there in the first place; the answer to which he was still processing.

He certainly hadn't expected the news that the most powerful hollows, under some leader she wouldn't name, were uniting their forces to counter the soul reapers - and possibly to attack their base in the Seireitei itself. This wasn't the part that confused him, as something ingrained in his mind as a hollow recognized the threat the shinigami presented.

The thought of vasto lordes - and several other arrancar - making an alliance? The idea alone beggared belief.

She had then explained that they all had instructions to seek out more powerful allies, preferably vasto lordes, to join their ranks under the leadership of the Espada - the ten strongest hollows in the entire realm. It came as no real surprise to Shin that his new friend and apparent leader was one of them.

What did was the fact that she was only third in that ranking.

He had turned an incredulous look towards the woman at that news; who in turn, and to her credit, didn't bat so much as a single lash.

"The order also factors in potential, and my powers aren't truly anything incredible. I am quite flattered though," she had said playfully, patting one bony cheek.

In the end, that search was what had led Nel to him: his awakening into an adjucha had let off enough spiritual energy to sense with her _pesquisa_ , a radar-like technique only arrancar seemed to possess.

In any case, that was why they were currently heading towards a white silhouette in the distance, which Nel had convinced him was the home base of this hollow army - the castle of Las Noches. She had also assured him that it was absolutely massive, and that it was the only reason the place didn't look to be getting any closer, no matter how fast he ran.

Even with that explanation, the tedium was starting to wear at him. _That and-_

His jaws clamped together with an audible click, quelling the thought before it could develop.

"Shin? Are you okay?"

He opened his eyes, looking back to see Nel gazing down with a concerned face. He nodded once before staring forwards at the sands ahead. He could feel her eyes boring into the back of his skull.

Without warning a large pillar of sand erupted in the distance, the shockwave reaching them a moment later, the sound of a cero detonating clear.

They traded glances.

"Keep heading forwards." Her tone was authorative. "I'll see what it is." She immediately leapt off his back, darting out with incredible speed and vanishing into the desert.

A few moments after she was gone, his body shuddered violently, and it was all he could do to hold himself together as his chest swelled, the hollow hole there seeming to burn. He could feel his consciousness slipping, an unholy choir of murmuring and shrieks shattering any sanity he had managed to hold on to.

The downside of having such a powerful being nearby was that Nel, by nature, emitted an powerful aura: the presence of a superior predator. Other hollows could sense that, no matter their strength, and would intentionally or otherwise avoid the area she was in. As a result, Shin had not been able to find any prey in the days since his initial evolution, and he was beginning to lose control. Through either stubbornness or a sense of pride he had refused to show it.

 _This is...my chance..._

A voice from behind caused him to tense in surprise, hackles rising.

"Well, well...look at what we have here."

A group of hollows appeared over the top of a nearby dune, of various shapes and sizes, all watching him with narrowed eyes. He didn't move, didn't look.

"What, mommy leaves and he just freezes?" A tall, thin one scoffed, moving up. "Well then, before she realizes what's going on...he's MINE!"

With a yell, the creature jumped at the inert form below.

Shin felt an uncontrollable instict rise, wiping away his conscious thoughts.

None of the other hollows saw the empty sheen in the larger beasts glowing eyes, the jaws open and slavering as it turned mindlessly to meet its prey.

\--

Nel searched the area, no trace of any living thing nearby. Confused, she once again examined the small crater from the blast that had attracted her there in the first place. The fact that she never actually sensed whoever had fired it was the strange part. To fire a cero of any magnitude, one couldn't simply hide the rest of their reiatsu at the same time, and she hadn't picked up anything. Unless that was a hollows unique ability, at least.

And why would someone have fired it here? There was nothing of note in the area, and the only thing she could think was to create...

 _A diversion._

"Shin!" Nel whirled around, speeding back the way she came, praying she wasn't too late.

\--

When she arrived, she wasn't sure whether to be pleased at what she saw...or horrified. Strewn about a large dip in the sand were various bodies - and body parts - in various condition, some savaged so badly they were unrecognizable. Blood covered most of the ground, spreading slowly from the corpses that remained, staining the sand black. Many of the heads were either gone entirely or had most of their masks missing. Several of the bodies were dissolving, the reishi that comprised their forms fading away after their souls were ripped away.

A panicked scream drew her eyes up, past the carnage, to witness one last hollow crawling up the far side of the dune from her, one leg torn off just above the knee.

Shin stalked after it slowly, and her heart fell as she saw the amount of gore caked on his frontmost talons. He suddenly rushed forwards, and with a mangled crunch and one last cry, the hollow was gone.

Nel winced, a horrid noise tearing through the air as Shin ate his fill. When it was done, his massive form lumbered upright, letting out a blood-curdling roar into the night. She watched him sadly, the moons cold light glinting off his horns as he howled out his victory, and lamented that she hadn't acted sooner.

She had been foolish. Every hollow went through this phase of uncontrollable hunger, why had she expected him to be different? He had certainly seemed more self-aware and intelligent than most, but that probably also meant he had been holding back for some time. Most likely, it had been gnawing at him shortly after they had met, just after his evolution.

 _How could I have forgotten what it was like, to be constantly fighting the urges? It was never a pleasant thing...I suppose I wanted to leave it all behind._

Nel shook her head slowly, hair rippling down her back with the motion. She had to fix this.

She took a single step forwards, and the noise it made, however faint, caused his head to jerk towards her. She could see the lack of clarity in his eyes as he snarled, tail thrashing about, no recognition in the predatory stance he assumed.

"Shin," she called softly, showing no fear or aggression; if he wasn't going to wake up, she would do what she could to calm him, though there was no sign that he even registered her voice.

This was proven a moment later as he leapt forwards, jaws open wide.

 _Well then._

Nel let him get within a foot before acting. She stepped to the side, one hand almost caressing the edge of his jaw as he landed. Her other hand she buried in his orange mane as she took a hold of his horn. With a small grunt and a twist, the larger hollow found itself in the air - and a moment later it slammed back down into the sand, with Nel placing one hand just above an eye.

Holding the beast down, she kept repeating his name until she finally saw a glimmer of light looking back...

\--

Shin faintly heard someone calling him, as if from miles away. He slowly rose to the top of his own mind, blinking in confusion upon seeing Nels almond-shaped green eyes staring down at him. His whole body ached as if he'd been tossed around, and finally that memory slid into place as well as he groaned from the unexpected pain.

She smiled at the noise. "We have to stop meeting like this, Shin." She kept one hand on his mask just to be sure. "How do you feel? I don't see any wounds, just a lot of blood."

He shifted uncomfortably. "...Awake, I guess. I'm sorry." Her expression softened some - right before she slapped him hard on the neck.

He scrambled to his full height with a yelp as she pursued him, shouting something that sounded like an odd mix of reassuring words and death threats, swatting at his ankles whenever she could.

It stung quite a lot more than expected, both physically and otherwise. She overrode any of his attempts to explain himself, simply roaring out "You dont think I, of all people, wouldn't understand?! You gigantic IDIOT, who the HELL do you think I am-"

She eventually devolved into muttered words and an impressive growl of her own as she stalked away, one last echoing blow to his hindquarters still smarting.

"You had better tell me the next time you need to feed," she shouted over one shoulder. "I am not going through this just to have you go feral on me!" Shin looked after her incredulously; apparently hollow women were just as confusing as any other at times.

"I'm not hearing a 'yes'!"

Starting in surprise, he quickly caught up, glancing to the side at her as he loped along. "Thank you."

Nel flashed him a winning smile, hopping back and onto his shoulders once more and giving him a much lighter smack on the head, yelling at him to run like some kind of drill sergeant.

Snorting in amusement, his mind clear for now, he took off across the desert, making tracks towards the distant silhouette of their destination.

\--

Days later, the castle of Las Noches was clearly visible in the distance - if it could even be called as such. It had a single titanic white structure with a square base and walls, leading up to an equally large sloped dome capping it. There were a few smaller conical structures surrounding it at various intervals that they could see from this angle, and from Nel describing it there were more on the opposite side. If he strained, several smaller nubs of white could be seen on the very top.

"It's a palace," Shin had said in awe when the scale of the place had struck him. "A palace big enough to hold a city...where did it come from?"

Nel had opened her mouth...and paused, seeming to be lost for words.

"I don't actually know, I don't think anyone really does," she'd admitted after a minute of thought. She told him several minutes later that one of her fellow arrancar, by the name of Barragan, used to rule over Hueco Mundo. Apparently when he had been the king, there was no structure like that, only the smaller pillars surrounding it. If anyone would know, it was him - or possibly their current leader.

Whom Nel still would not speak of.

"It's a secret."

"And I'm another hollow. Under _your_ command, if I remember right." She had grimaced at that, holding up one slender hand to stop any further questions of his.

"We're essentially preparing for war, Shin. As decreed by our leader, only the ten Espada know who exactly they are. If any word got out of Hueco Mundo and to the Soul Society, it would jeapordize the entire plan. We have to be patient."

At seeing the doubting expression in his eyes, she had sighed relentingly. "Though I have been told the plans will come into effect within a year. That's all we know for now."

"A year?!"

She'd squinted at him rather testily. "Oh, and you have something important to do otherwise?"

She had a fair point.

The talk had then turned to preparation, and the entire reason he was on his way to their base. Shin was honestly surprised to find he was the only hollow that Nel herself had found to bring back at all, other than the two companions she had mentioned; whose names he could never seem to remember. There was realistically no limit to the amount of hollows here. Nel raised one delicate brow at his surprise. "Well obviously we weren't sent out to find any random adjucha."

He tossed back an expression that seemed to speak volumes, to which she responded with a rather unfeminine snort.

"Shin. You are clearly no ordinary hollow," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"And you're basing that on..?"

He got a flat look. "From what you told me and from what I was able to sense, you fought and summarily ate two adjucha when you were just a gillian. Do you think that is in any way normal?"

"You do know I have nothing to compare that t-ow!" Her loud slap echoed in the area. Nel sighed in mock weariness as he cursed.

"That is not normal. Or even heard of. At all," she explained more patiently. "And as you should know, any...abnormalities in this world should never be overlooked." She stretched languidly, laying back against his bushy mane, feet pointing back where they had come; Shin wasn't entirely sure how she was keeping her balance, as he was still galloping along at a fair pace.

"Besides," she continued thoughtfully, "you may remember I was surprised to find you?" He nodded once, thinking back. "That was because I had genuinely thought the spiritual energy I was sensing was from a vasto lorde - and not in any small amount. You have enough raw power to be quite a threat." She frowned. "It's just very...unrefined. Which I can only assume is why you're an adjucha still."

"Can a hollow even do that? Jump straight past this level?"

"Not that I've ever heard of. You would be the closest example I've seen, and I can't imagine it will be much longer before you do change." A smirk grew on her face. "Maybe then we could get to the castle sooner." Shin grumbled good-naturedly at that, eliciting a small laugh.

In his mind, however, things were anything but light-hearted. He had fed several times since their encounter in the desert before, with Nel helping locate any worthwile prey nearby before she scared it off. The problem was that he could not sense any real change in his power. He'd felt it distinctly after the ambush, but only then. From Nel's description, he had no shortage of actual strength, all that was left was the evolution itself.

But was there some sort of trigger, some catalyst to push him over the edge? Or was it simply that he needed to consume more reishi?

Onwards he ran, wishing only for the hunger to end, however it may happen.

\--

Some weeks and several groups of hollows later, the massive bulk of Las Noches filled most of their vision. It dwarfed the horizon, rising up nearly enough to blot out the light of the moon.

"We're still another two days out...at the least." Shin looked back, clear doubt on what Nel could see of his expression. She shrugged in response. "I did say it was big."

He shook his head ponderously in disbelief as he leapt over a large mound - and landed heavily, sand kicking up as he skid to a stop, nearly throwing Nel off. She yelped in surprise, holding onto his mane as she looked up. "Shin, what-"

Her question died off into frosty silence as she looked to the top of the next dune in their path, and the tall, thin figure that stood at its peak. The aura of power radiating from it told Shin all he needed to know before he even got a good look: this was an arrancar.

The man stood at seven feet, lanky figure clothed in white. A slim white jacket covered his torso, open at the chest and with the collar upturned, framing a pale face with strangely elongated features, a too-wide mouth stretched in an ominous grin. Medium length black hair was slicked down, turning shaggy and unorganized as it reached his neck. One snakelike eye peered down at them, the left covered in a large white eyepatch. His lower half wore some sort of white hakama pants, tucked into odd thin black boots, the toes upturned at the end. A long, ringed expanse of chain links led from his right hip, looping around to the bottom of a weapon he held with his left arm, the haft resting over one shoulder, the huge crescent-bladed head visible over the opposite side.

Shin couldn't move; he was being crushed by the spiritual pressure emanating off this being. It washed over him in waves, heavy with bloodlust - some small part realized it wasn't aimed at him.

He caught a glimpse of Nel looking back, and a moment later her own reiatsu burst out, unleashed for the first time. Surprisingly, it seemed to lift the weight pushing him down, and he realized she was acting as a barrier, her power stopping any other from passing by. Even with that, the magnitude of it caused him to cower back unwillingly.

Nel swung back to face the man, a distictively frigid expression on her features. "What do you want?" she asked calmly, one hand on the hilt of her blade.

The man simply grinned wider and barked out a laugh, any actual humor very clearly missing. "So cold," he sneered, voice cutting through the silence with a jagged edge. "What, you aren't going to even introduce me to your new little pet?"

Nel sighed, almost in resignation. "Shin, meet Nnotra Gilga...another of the Espada." Nnoitra's one eye gazed at him, a small hint of curiousity there; Shin felt like an insect, being examined by a much larger predator. He did, however, stand his ground. The Espada snorted after a moment at his lack of reaction.

"Well he's not a coward at least, I'll give you that..." He leaned forward, slamming his weapon down into the sand. "Whatever. You know I'm not here for that, Nelliel." He leered down, his only reply a narrowed look.

"I don't recall agreeing to anything."

"Yeah? Then let's get it straight: I want a rematch."

"There's no time for this right now."

"Haaaah?!" Nnoitra's eye turned into a slit, mouth twisted into an ugly grimace. Nel shifted slightly, putting herself more in front of Shin; he caught the movement, expression turning vicious.

"Playing babysitter, right...well then, I think you just need the proper _motivation._ " He suddenly vanished with a soft noise, like static. The same happened to Nel, and they both reappeared directly behind Shin, Nnoitra's long weapon clashing against her drawn sword in a shower of sparks as she pushed him back, expression furious. "You would go that far to get a simple fight?!"

He laughed maliciously, almost seeming to drink in her anger. "Of course!" he yelled, swinging his huge weapon with incredible ease and speed. "You know damn well this is what I live for! Now shut the hell up and FIGHT ME!" With a final roar he lunged forwards, launching Nel back with a wide sweep. She cursed, throwing a quick look at the paralyzed Shin.

"Get out of here, head for Las Noches! I'll meet you there, but you need to go-" She was cut off as her opponent once again flashed to the side, catching her in the side with the haft of his weapon in a swift jab. She growled in rage, batting the taller man away in a strike that sent a shockwave out, tossing him into a nearby rise.

"Go, now!"

Shin didn't hesitate a second more, panic taking over as he crouched, leaping away as fast as he could. He could still hear cackling and the metallic clanging of their blades behind him - but he ran.

He ran until he could no longer hear, see, or sense his friend anymore.

\--

Panting, Shin finally stopped, dropping to the sand with a loud impact. His sides heaved, muscles shivering in exhaustion. He couldn't remember exactly how far or long he had gone for, though it had felt like days - and Las Noches was no closer.

 _Damn._

He hadn't payed any attention to where he was going in his panic, his fear, for that was exactly what he was running from. A primal urge to flee for his life was the only thing that had guided his flight from the battle.

After a few minutes his breath returned, clarity returning as he rose, gazing around. The same endless white desert surrounded him on all sides. He stood at the top of a huge hill that sloped down for miles, turning into a breathtaking expanse of flat plains leading to the palace far in the distance, broken only by the tiny stubs of trees dotting the landscape.

He had been told to head straight for Las Noches; that was the last thing Nel had managed to say, and he was determined to follow that instruction, if only to repay her for ensuring he survived this far.

But...something was stopping him. Yes, he could head to relative safety and regroup with Nel. But the thought of simply remaining as he was infuriated him.

He had been powerless to even move against Nnoitra - and he now knew that as friendly as Nel was, she was at the same level.

Far beyond anything he could imagine.

A rumbling growl seeped out from his clenched jaws, talons kneading the sand unconsciously.

 _Why can't I evolve already? What's stopping me?_

Shin knew he wouldn't gain any more power from eating other hollows, that was already clear. And he felt deep in his soul he wasn't meant to stop here. Besides, the ever-present hunger was still there, and he would never rest until that was gone.

But if simply gathering his strength wasnt enough, he needed to go searching for what he needed - not sitting on his ass in a palace.

Casting one last look at Las Noches, he turned away, scanning the surrounding area for some sort of clue, anything of note. For a moment, he wondered if this would count as disobeying orders.

 _Sorry Nel. I'll meet up with you later._

Alone once again, he ran on.


	4. Chapter 4: Reflection

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

-Forenote-

So I heard you like new chapters. Bam, new chapter.

Obviously I did say a weekly schedule was what I was aiming for, but let me clarify: I'll have a new chapter up _at the latest_ roughly every week. So in the event that maybe I see some comments/reviews/PM's about how people are really liking this, and it then subsequently gives me warm fuzzies and revs up my desire to write more. Plus this chapter was one I had been looking forward to myself, so here we are.

Anyways, from now on I believe these forenotes will most likely be pretty small, if there at all. I may answer the odd question I see in these, within reason and without spoilers. Duh.

The one that I have seen several times, which understandably is important to some readers: "Will this be a harem?"

To which I have a simple answer. No.

There will be women, quite possibly more than one, and natural circumstances in this story may lead to one thing or another - some surprising even to me. Sudden inspiration is a fickle mistress, _and yet she tempts me so._

But am I going to have a cadre of women (or men) constantly thirsting for a thick, hot load of...reiatsu? No, and that will not change for this story. I may never, harems are weird to write.

That was the only real question I've seen so far, but I'll keep an eye out, and I will answer what I can.

By the way, I have heard word that the mobile site specifically does not like to load the '--' I use for scene and perspective breaks, particularly for chapter 3. No idea why or if the issue persists, but the normal site and phone app are perfectly fine last time I checked.

To Jean Danjou with the suggestion about thought verbs and that essay on them, I'll look into it - and thank you.

-Forenote end-

Chapter 4: Reflection

A rare wind stormed across the wastes of Hueco Mundo, sand stirring and shifting in its wake. These storms, such as they were, were thought to literally and figuratively wipe clean the desert; flowing over the scars from countless tracks and battles, and in places even piling up enough to cover the outcroppings of pale stone that dotted the changing landscape.

It was here, behind a massive pillar blocking most of the storm, that Shin took respite. He laid himself down with a slow deliberateness, large bony head resting atop his paws, tail curled around his feet so as not to stick out into the open. He exhaled wearily, flanks heaving. He kept one wary eye open to ensure the wind didn't shift and bury his only shelter within reasonable distance as he rested.

He'd been wandering aimlessly for what had to be a month - or more, time was nearly impossible to measure, the slowly shifting moon the only indication that it even existed in this realm at all. Flicking an eye up, he could barely spot its cold glow through the clouds of sand.

 _Pointless._

He let a small sigh. At this point, he was simply walking until his hunger rose enough for him to feed. Having had no success in finding anything in this blasted desert, he was quickly losing the hope that anything could give him a clue. He would not, however, give up on it; he refused, either from sheer determination or stubbornness.

It seemed to be something of a trend.

 _Besides, I can still feel it..._

Shortly after his self-imposed stint of solitude began he'd come to feel an odd sensation from his hollows hole, placed directly in the center of his broad chest. The sense was always there, though it seemed to become more prominent after he fed, slowly fading until he ate next. If he closed his eyes and focused, he could picture it: a single glowing coal, burning from some source he couldn't place. It simply sat there, resonating with a heat he could almost feel when the temperature dropped low enough. After a meal it flared up, seeming brighter in his mind, as if it just needed the slightest breath to coax it into a blaze.

This was what kept him going in the eternal nights. He knew deep in his core that he could bring himself to that peak, and even further beyond that once he did. But it never worked, no matter how much he hunted. He simply ate to keep his mind at the fore; he was running out of places within sight to inspect, and his frustration rose with each failed venture.

 _Maybe Nel would have known...why didn't I ask for help when I had the chance?_ He mentally berated himself, both for the thought and the weakness it showed was growing in his mind. Only whatever gods existed knew where she was now, and the idea of heading towards Las Noches to just wait until she showed up aggravated him to no end. She wasn't his guardian, no matter how she may have acted during their time traveling together.

A low growl emanated from behind closed jaws as he shifted, tail sweeping aside a small drift of sand that had formed just beneath the winds curling reach.

Shin took one last look out at the swirling darkness, noting that it was distinctly colder than before. Nighttime, for what it was in this place, seemed to have fallen. With that and the storm that showed no signs of slowing down, he felt safe enough to get some sleep, however brief, to calm his thoughts.

When he woke, he would resume his search - both mentally and otherwise.

\--

Some time later, a lone hollow paused in its winding way across the desert, it's gaze somehow drawn to a tall stone column jutting out of the sands. It could barely make out an irregular shape at its peak - and after a moment it saw the outline move slightly.

And yet it remained.

Intrigued, the hollow concealed their power and made its way towards the monolith, curious in spite of itself. Some primal instinct screamed out that this being was dangerous, even from that distance.

But what was life without a little risk?

\--

Shin sat upon the column, deathly still, having remained there for days. He had originally leapt up after the sandstorm had finally abated, looking for landmarks in the distance.

Instead, he found his attention inexplicably drawn to something that held him riveted.

The moon.

It was mostly fulll, only a quarter remaining to be filled on one side. He didn't know if it was the increased elevation from his perch or the clear view after the storm, but its cool light had seared its way down into his depths, calling up an odd sensation he couldn't recognize.

He'd tried to turn away, to keep moving, but he couldn't bring himself to. Something in his mind knew he was missing some crucial piece, something that should be plainly obvious.

So he stayed, and had moved barely a foot since. He would occasionally sweep the area to ensure he was still alone, but that was all. He wasn't even hungry, as if remaining motionless actually staved that urge off for longer.

It was after several days when he first sensed a faint presence nearby. Immediately he had risen, padding over to the edges of the outcropping to peer around.

Nothing appeared.

So he had prepared himself for an attack of some sort - but nothing happened. For several hours, he could still feel whatever it was hidden nearby. To his great surprise, it vanished soon after.

From then on, the presence returned every other day or so, seeming to just watch him for a time before disappearing back into the desert. After the third day of this, Shin couldn't bring himself to care anymore. Whatever it was, it clearly wasn't looking for a fight, and he still had other things to worry about. A week after the first encounter, he ventured out to feed, returning to his tall perch without incident.

He made his way back to his normal spot, talons clicking on the rock, sitting back on his haunches with a small huff. Something seemed off.

"Welcome back."

Twisting around in surprise, he reached out with every sense possible - nothing was there. And yet he could feel the slightest sense, almost like...

 _Like whoever's been watching me._ The thought didn't bring him very much comfort. He grunted, feeling rather fed up.

"Why have you been stalking me?" He demanded, voice echoing slightly in the quiet.

A pause, and a small 'hmph'.

He heard a small scuffling from the opposite end of the rock face, and a hollows head appeared, quickly ascending. It had the comparitively normal appearance of a large snake, its skin a pale lavender, underbelly covered in bone white plates. It's mask, if it could be called that, originated at the tip of its upper jaw, flowing back smoothly to end just behind its skull in a wide fan-like shape. Thin lines ran along the full length, and at the widest tips two small tassels hung, three small orbs of the same material swinging slowly as it moved. Glistening lavender eyes, the same color as its skin, shone out from under the masks edges. Three small pink dots lined each jaw from under the eyes, leading back towards its torso.

The adjucha finally finished bringing it's full length to the top of the plateau, coiling up almost casually as Shin watched with narrowed eyes. Just because this creature hadn't attacked him previously didn't mean he would just turn his back.

It finally rested its head on the topmost coil, looking at him curiously. They maintained this staring contest for a minute, until it tilted its spade-shaped visage to one side.

"Well?"

The voice was unquestionably female; soft and cultured, as if she was simply asking him the time of day. Shin cocked his own large head at her. "Well nothing. Are you going to answer the question?"

She seemed to sigh for a moment, and rolled her eyes slightly. "You don't think I should have just come up here the first time I saw you? This is still Hueco Mundo, and I had no idea what you were like." Her long body seemed to wriggle as she shook her head bashfully. "What would I have done if you had attacked me like some savage animal - as you do appear to be?"

"...Fair point." Shin couldn't help a lighter tone from slipping out. She didn't look to be hostile at all, clearly. If anything, all she wanted to do was talk. Why were all the women he talked to like this?

"So why are you finally coming up at all? Most hollows, as you say, would have just attacked first," he asked after dismissing the errant thought. She again looked at him openly, curiousity evident in her swaying gaze.

"Because most hollows do not just sit in one place staring at the moon." Her frank words jabbed at him, and he frowned behind his mask.

She continued, having either not noticing his reaction or simply ignoring it. "Besides, I'm not some wild beast either. As you should clearly see by now." Her words took on an odd cadence near the end.

 _Is she...pouting?_ The adjucha had turned her head away and up, eyes closed as if affronted. Shin stifled a chuckle that almost wormed its way out. "The picture of dignity, I'm sure." To his amusement she turned back with what he would describe as a smile, if it was possible for such a facial structure to do so.

He studied her for a moment, more interested in idle conversation by the moment. "So now that we've established nobody here is hostile, who are you?" She again tilted her head in response.

"I am Cyan Sung-Sun. You may simply call me Sung-Sun. And yourself?"

 _She introduces herself like an empress..._

"Shingetsu. Just...Shin works." She nodded slowly, seeming to mull over the words.

"Shingetsu...that sounds oddly like a title."

"It was given to me. I can't remember my own." She started in surprise at his statement. Her next question appeared in her eyes before she spoke.

"I met someone who called themselves an arrancar just after reaching the surface. She gave me the name." He received an odd look.

"The only female arrancar I know of would be..."

"An Espada, I'd imagine."

Sung-Sun stared at him incredulously for a full minute. "Are you telling me, Shin," she began slowly, sounding like she was trying to convince herself of the words, "that you were found by lady Nelliel, the third Espada, and were summarily named - and I can only assume enlisted as her fracción?"

He nodded blithely. "Yeah, that sounds about right. She didn't use that term for it though."

"That does sound like her..." She narrowed her eyes in doubt. "Then why are you not at Las Noches?"

He finally let out a small laugh. "Yeah. About that."

\--

Some time later, he had finished recounting his story to an amazed Sung-Sun; who to her credit didn't have as many questions as he expected her to.

She simply sighed in amazement at the end of it, shaking her wide head, tassles swinging at the motion. "You are the luckiest man I have ever met."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"As well you should," she swiftly shot back, though the expression she sent with it hid a smile. She had edged slightly closer as he talked, smooth coils loosening into a wider, and seemingly more relaxed, circle. He was glad for that. One could never have too many friends in this place.

Soon after, she excused herself, muttering something about 'uncultured animals noticing her absence'.

As she slithered off into the night, Shin glanced back at the shining beacon in the sky. It brought no further revelations, and in the best mood he'd found himself in yet, he closed his eyes to rest.

\--

To his genuine pleasure, Sung-Sun returned after several short days, climbing his monolith in an odd undulating fashion. At seeing something in his expression she laughed quietly, the soft sound ringing out into the desert. "Why, if I'd known you would have missed me this much, I would have kept you waiting just a little longer..."

He grumbled a bit at that, eliciting more laughter - but he couldn't deny he was happy to see her. Staring at the moon was only getting him so far.

"Well, now that I've regaled you with my history..." She let out an amused 'hah' at his words. "What about you, why are you way out here? From what you said, you clearly know about the army gathering at Las Noches."

She seemed to concede that point and drew herself up some as she began. "I'm traveling, as always, with my lady Harribel and her other two fracción."

"Lady? Is she an Espada then?"

The snake adjucha opened her mouth to reply, pausing awkwardly for a moment. "N-no, not as such..."

Shin tilted his head in an obvious question. She looked away, stating, "I have no doubt she will join the Espada ranks as soon as she becomes an arrancar."

 _Ah._

"So...you call all people of a higher rank so formally?" Her tail whipped out, smacking him on one taloned paw lightly as she turned back, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"I refer to those as such that I deem worthy of my respect or loyalty, _Shin_ " The end to her words came out in a rather serpentine hiss, sending a small chill down his spine.

After assuring her he meant no disrespect, their talks turned to her other two companions - who he couldn't tell whether she got along with or not.

"We have a small hideout of sorts fairly nearby, where we used to live. Since we were found by...our leader, we have been moving between that and Las Noches. We unfortunately do still need to feed, and the old cave serves well in those times." Shin didn't miss that she seemed to know whoever it was that ruled over this place, or that she also wouldn't speak of it.

 _I_ _s it loyalty or fear that keeps everyone quiet?_

Unaware of his dark line of thought, she continued. "Apacci is a rather...straightforward individual. She certainly doesn't mince words, for better or worse. Mila Rose isn't so bad, but she's got her own aggressive streak a mile wide." Sung-Sun sniffed haughtily at this, nose upturned. Shin smiled behind his mask, sensing an odd hint of fondness in her scathing tone.

"Ah, that's right," she began, returning to her thought. "They appear as a deer and a lion, respectively. I'd appreciate it if you didn't attack them on one of your...meal runs." He snorted at that, nodding his agreement.

"My lady Harribel is a vasto lorde, obviously. She has the visage of...a shark, I suppose. Blue mostly, with a large tooth-like blade attached to her right arm..."

Shin let her ramble on for a time, following along passively. He felt this wasn't something she did terribly often, and she seemed somewhat dedicated to this Harribel woman. He was, however, content to simply listen.

But as she spoke, his mind clouded slightly, her words coming as if through a veil. The hole in his chest swelled again, the heat there almost scalding, and he could feel something deep calling out...

He felt a sharp sting on one shoulder and started at the sensation, seeing Sung-Sun retract her tail, a surprisingly concerned expression in her pale eyes.

He shook himself once more. "Sorry, I drifted off a bit." Doubt appeared on her face.

"I don't particularly like brooding men."

He shot her an exasperated look, breath clouding the air as he glanced up at the moon. "It's not that, I just felt something...off in my head. And of course I've had no progress in finding what I'm missing."

"To evolve, you did mention that." Sung-Sun hummed in thought, following his gaze slowly. "As far as I understand, lady Harribel simply...changed. She's never mentioned how it happened specifically. I'm sorry to say I don't have more, but if I did I would most likely not still be an adjucha myself."

She excused herself again a short time after, leaving Shin to his thoughts - however clouded and confused they may be.

\--

Over the coming days Shin scoured his own mind more than anything else, convinced now that it was something there that was keeping him at this stage. All he wanted was to become stronger, that was clear, but every time he followed that line, he was suddenly stopped as if running into a wall.

Thus engrossed in self-inspection, nearly a week passed without pause, either to feed or even wonder if his newfound ally would return.

But return she did, to find her large friend in the same pose she had seen him in before their first meeting, hardly noticing her approach.

Shin was fixated on the moon again, its width nearing full, the light seeming to scour his soul as it always had, though it still revealed nothing.

 _What am I missing?_

He was interrupted by Sung-Sun's wide head swaying into his vision, looking rather cross. He recoiled in shock, taking several heavy steps back as she lowered her long body down, sighing delicately.

"Finally. I've been here for several minutes already...I can only assume you've had no luck as of yet?" Shin's glowing eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and he shook his head in frustration. The other hollow watched him for a moment, noting the tense and rigid stance he held.

"Well, I've come to let you know that we're heading back to Las Noches soon." He grunted, in no particular mood to talk. She seemed to take his reaction in stride, just watching him carefully. After a minute she spoke again, the serious tone of her normally relaxed voice catching his attention.

"I talked to lady Harribel." He glanced over. "She believes that the key for a hollow to ascend to a vasto lorde is not simply power, as I believe you know. She said the most important thing is the conviction of the soul in question. What they aspire to be. What they fight for." Her lavender gaze swept over him, almost sadly.

"What do you fight for, Shin?" He didn't answer, too busy mulling over her words to think of anything else. She sighed, moving closer until her mask touched the tip of his, staring at him, some nameless emotion swirling in her eyes.

"I expect to see you at Las Noches eventually. If I do not, I believe I will be rather...upset. I will not forgive you for that." He made a small noise, a shadow of a laugh.

"I'll remember that."

"As well you should."

She turned away, form swaying gracefully as she moved. Shin watched her go, seeing her glance back one last time as she slipped over the side of the pillar.

Then she was gone.

He took a long breath, exhaling slowly, trying to make sense of himself. Her question seemed to echo in his head, repeating over and over.

 _What do you fight for?_

\--

For an entire day that single question invaded every facet of his mind, driving him to pace back and forth, claws clicking on the rock beneath him. He knew this was it, the single thing that was holding him back.

He had no past. No memory of who he was before existing as a Menos. Therefore, what could possibly drive him forward?

To fight was simply an instinct, any hollow knew that.

To feed was natural, if one wanted to survive.

He growled in senseless anger; he had nothing. No drive, no reason to ascend other than the simple desire for power. And even that was pointless without purpose. What would he even use that strength for?

In his pacing, his gaze drawn to the sky, he jerked to a halt. A full moon shone back, and a wave of cold fear washed over his mind.

A hazy memory surfaced in a flash: a massive, pale creature; a tiny, black-haired woman; a dark and narrow street, a pool of blood staining it black, horribly black. Reflected in it, the bright disc of the moon was seen clearly for the slightest of moments.

Shin cried out in pain, clawing at the ground, the memory burning itself into his mind. The last thing he could draw from it was the faint recollection of several bodies lying nearby, and a spark of fury rose with a taste of blood into his mouth.

 _I..._

 _I_ _have to..._

With a gut-wrenching screech, his talons gouged deep into the stone floor. His eyes closed, massive body shuddering violently.

The memory had to be from his life as a human, and only his. It was far too vivid to be from another soul.

 _I have to.._. _protect..._

 _I...have to...fight..._

He had been too weak.

That thought nearly shattered any sanity he had left. The heat from his hollows hole flared, searing both mind and body.

 _Never...never again..._

His form began to steam as his spiritual energy poured out, a deep red, illuminating the desert for hundreds of feet in a bloody glow.

He howled in rage, the furious, primal sound sending every sentient thing within range into a blind panic. A loud _thump_ sounded in his head, body throbbing with the force.

 _I will never...let something I care about...be taken away..._ _because I'm not strong enough..._

 _Ever again!_

Teeth grinding together, Shin hunched down as his entire being began to ache, burning down to the bone.

With one last savage roar, the crimson glow flared ever brighter, a cloud of steam whirling around him before it exploded out with a sound like a bomb, pulverizing the surrounding area from the force.

\--

Hours away, a group of four hollows made their way swiftly to the castle of Las Noches far in the distance, only to skid to a halt as a massive shockwave washed over them, the desert around them churning and shifting from the force.

One smaller humanoid form, armored in blue and white, looked in its direction, aqua-blue gaze open wide in surprise.

Two of her larger bestial companions cursed in shock as the explosion faded away, shivering from the remaining sense of raw power that still washed over them.

Sung-Sun, the third, simply smiled in her own way, eyes shining.

\--

The remaining shrouds of smoke dispersed, revealing the huge column of stone to still be intact. A slim form appeared at its peak, the red aura fading away.

Shin inhaled deeply, the cool air soothing his scorched lungs, expelling the breath in a hissing cloud.

He stood at the height of tall human, wide-shouldered and lithe with muscle. His skin shone a porcelain white, broken only by the hole directly under his collarbone and the six symmetrical black lines emanating out from its radius, like ebony strings of flame. The lowest two jutted out to the sides, curving up and over his shoulders into a fine point. The other four each rose out and up his chest, the top pair running all the way up under his mask; it now covered his entire head, shaped like a fearsome skull and just as bone-colored. The oddly shaped horns remained from his previous incarnation, emanating out to the sides and looping around in an angular fashion before jutting forwards aggressively. The face itself had the same two black stripes running from either side of the chin, veering in to run over the eye sockets before swerving back out over the crown of the head. The visage had a certain shape, the brow jutting down into a rigid furrow, that gave the overall appearance an intimidating cast. A collar of some type of hair or fur ringed his neck, open at the front, and colored a bright blood-red. Similar patches were on his wrists and ankles, and a long unruly mane of orange hair spilled out from under the back of the mask, flowing down to his hips. His hands and toes were tipped with vicious black claws.

Shin rolled his neck around slowly, feeling a satisfying pop from the tendons there. Examining his new body, he marveled at how much better it felt to be in a human form. He had been perfectly fine with his larger sizes, but this felt more...natural.

 _Besides, now I don't take up so much space._

After another deep breath, he noticed something even more pleasant: the whispers were gone. The cacophany of souls that had driven him mad at times were finally silenced in their entirety and his mind was fully his own. The simple enjoyment he took from being able to think clearly was incredible. That, and the fact that his hunger had vanished as well.

He'd expected it, but the actual sensation of...wholeness that came with becoming a vasto lorde defied words. One last look at the brilliantly shining moon overhead sent a tingle of fear trailing down his spine, but it no longer held him hostage.

He leaned to one side, stretching as he crouched. Feeling strangely cold, he glanced down at-

 _Oh_ _. Right._

Resolving to find something to wear as soon as he could, he sought out the titanic silhouette of Las Noches with a sense of finality.

He had a promise to keep.


	5. Chapter 5: Restraint

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

-Forenote-

It's truly amazing how much a single comment or review on something I create can really get to me, good or bad - and there's been a lot since chapter 4. I'm positive that's the same for everyone, but this is something a bit new for me personally, and it's real neat.

Regardless, thank you to everyone who follows, favorites, or even just reads this, no matter if you like it or not. Seeing positive or negative feedback just digs into my mind and makes me want to improve my writing that much more each day.

I did see several comments, and some words from a friend, saying the interactions with Sung-Sun felt a little mechanical. Trust me, that wasn't what I was going for. I meant for it to be that she was there as a bit of a catalyst to get things rolling in Shin's mind a bit faster, as well as some setup for later things. I was trying to convey that he wasn't in the clearest mindset at the time, hence the breaks in between their talks, but it came out kinda stale.

So with apologies to our friendly neighborhood snake lady, I may actually go back soon to rework those scenes and add a bit to that chapter to flesh it out more. Let nobody say I try to toss my mistakes under the rug.

For now, enjoy.

-Forenote end-

Chapter 5: Restraint

Many hollows in Hueco Mundo hunted regularly, either in the endless quest to grow stronger, or simply because they knew no other way to exist anymore. And even more formed tentative alliances and roamed in packs, trusting in the safety of numbers to keep them alive and sane as long as possible. For many, this was often the only way to survive as an adjucha. A wandering pack, if they worked together, could take down a foe much more powerful than they were alone.

It was with this intention that a large group of nearly twenty hollows converged on a comparitively tiny form as it sped across the bleak white desert.

If they had stopped to truly inspect their prey, they may have managed to survive.

\--

Shin sidestepped a wide, sweeping talon with ease, his own claws open and hooked as they gouged into the attacker's throat. Bright red blood poured out into a steaming pool as the hollow collapsed; it gasped in its death throes as another roared in fury, leaping forwards. With the sound of soft static, Shin vanished, reappearing above and thrusting a pointed hand through its torso. The creature screamed in pain as he swung it around, throwing it into another adjucha with enough force to crush the smaller being.

He felt a sudden hot flash of pain, looking back to see a pointed appendage from another tear a wound in his leg. He snarled, grabbing the offending hollow by the mask, quickly charging a cero with the same hand.

The blast vaporized most of its body.

As the dust cleared, the remaining few hollows saw the ugly tear in his leg seem to twist - and immediately heal. The biggest, a gargantuan gorilla-like beast, let out an echoing roar and leapt forwards, perhaps not realizing the danger. It swung one huge arm forwards in a punch, clenched as if a battering ram. To it's surprise, the blow connected, sand kicking up from the force.

Shin still stood, holding an open hand against the others fist, barely straining. Using his grip as leverage, he howled and swung the enormous hollow over and into the dunes. One more savage blow to the head, and it was gone.

From a short distance, a small cloaked figure shook in fear as it watched its last several companions run forward, only to be wiped out like the rest of their group. Shin looked its way a moment later, gore dripping from his clawed hands.

It jumped away in a flash, running as fast as it could.

He watched it go, adrenaline still surging through his veins. The fight, if it could be called that, had come upon him suddenly, the hollows concealing their power and ambushing him all at once. Once they had attacked, instinct took over, and he had systematically annihilated each and every one.

He couldn't deny the pleasure he took in the battle, even if it was one-sided. He had been on the move for days, having been further away from Las Noches than originally expected, and boredom had begun to set in. He no longer needed to feed, but a large part of him reveled in the action.

He opened his eyes again, looking back out towards the still-fleeing form in the distance. He could just simply let it go; it had already shown it didn't want to fight anymore. And besides that, a hollow that small had to be at the least a vasto lorde, which would be wanted at Las Noches. It made sense.

 _...fuck that._

\--

The hollow sprinted as fast as it could away from the blood-soaked area, fear laying a path. He panted irregularly behind his mask, struggling to push further.

He had known the being was a vasto lorde, just as he was, and had tried to warn the others that something felt off.

Tried, and failed.

Now he was alone and somehow, by a stroke of luck that horned... _thing_ didn't seem to want to follow. He paused at the height of a dune for a moment to glance back warily-

It was gone.

A chill of pure terror washed down his spine as it heard a soft impact in the sand, and turned slowly to see the horned vasto rising from a crouch, baleful yellow eyes fixed on him.

"No..."

He backpedaled in fear, one hand held out as if to ward it off. It simply watched him for a moment - and vanished.

An instant later he felt a violent strike on the back, the breath blasted out of his lungs. He managed to look down to see a shower of crimson streaming down his front.

He coughed up blood, mind fading as he hit the sand. He saw the glowing eyes gazing down, a cackling two-toned laugh the last thing he heard.

\--

For hours, Shin stared at the remains of that last hollow, long after its physical remains had vanished. By now, even the blood seeped into the sand had begun to fade away.

And yet he remained.

 _Why_ _did I do that?_

He hadn't been particularly angry that he had been ambushed, nor had this particular one even attacked in the first place. There was no logical reason to kill it.

And yet he had. Brutally, without mercy, and with no small amount of enjoyment involved. The only reason he was even confused was that it somehow felt...wrong.

After the single memory he had reclaimed, other small bits of his previous life had started to return as well. Little quirks of personality, actions that now felt habitual, a sense of right and wrong.

A sense that now seemed to be vastly different.

He could feel that previously he would still have done all in his power to survive, yes. But at the expense or suffering of others? As a human, the deep parts of his mind instictively wanted to reject even considering something like that.

As a hollow, that desire was cast aside, though some of the aftereffects remained.

"Survival of the fittest..." he muttered, legs crossed as he sat in contemplation. It was certainly the norm for hollows. To be merciless was to survive, there was no other way normally. Showing weakness like that to a potential enemy was to die, therefore he had no real qualms in doing what he had to. He wasn't afraid to kill; he actually enjoyed a good fight more, though that seemed to be a rarity as of yet.

So why deny himself the one pleasure he had found in this desolate place?

Shin hopped to his feet, casting one last careless glance to where the other vasto had died - and to the tattered gray cloth it had left behind.

He bent nimbly and snagged it with one hand, shaking any remaining sand free as he held it up. It appeared to be some sort of rather ragged heavy blanket, no seams or folds showing to suggest otherwise. Shrugging it over his shoulders, he grimaced after a moment. With any movement it would expose his lower body anyways, there was no point. He squinted at it in thought, and a second later tore into it with his claws. To his pleasure and annoyance, the cloth seemed fairly resistant to even that, and he had to work more finess than he was expecting into cutting it.

A minute later, he had it down to half of its previous length, and summarily had it wrapped around his waist like some sort of low robe. After several quick movements it felt no closer to falling off, the ends reaching down to well below his knees as it swayed slowly.

 _No reason I can't be decent._

Satisfied, he continued his long run to Las Noches, still far in the distance.

\--

A day later his pace had slowed to a steady walk. He simply took in the scenery, bleak as it was, as he strode along. He'd realized there was no particular need to rush, the titanic palace wasnt going anywhere. Besides that, the only real reason he was heading there in the first place was to repay his debt to Nel. Without her he may very well have died, if only to Nnoitra attacking them both.

Personally, he could think of no reason he wanted to go to Las Noches otherwise. He wasnt lonely at all, preferring to continue sorting out his own mind for the time being.

He frowned underneath the mask. His brief talks with Sung-Sun were the one thing he wished he could have another chance at; he was obviously thankful for the company and advice she had given him, and he hadn't been in the best state at the time to say much about it. However, she could be anywhere at this point, at Las Noches or otherwise, most likely accompanying her...master? He still wasn't quite sure how to describe that relationship.

Shin stopped at the crest of a small dune, feet digging into the sand as he surveyed the area ahead. The ever-present bulk of Las Noches occupied the horizon as always, and an immeasurable expanse of the pale white desert stretched before it. The moon, as always, shone a white light down, rendering the world in a cold and desolate appearance.

After a while he found a flat rock to sit on, taking in the sights with an odd sense of wonder.

 _I've never even dreamed of a place like this..._

Occasionally a thought like that would slip out, catching him off guard. They were never anything terrible as of yet, but it was always somewhat out of place. It meant that his old memories were still there, buried.

An uncharacteristic sigh made its way out as he leaned back, feeling rather melancholy.

"Boredom," he finally decided. "That's what will drive me crazy first."

With that declaration, he closed his eyes and drifted off.

\--

Shin watched several adjucha far in the distance scuffle, each trading blows for nearly a full hour. Finally one fell, the other roaring to the sky. He surveyed the victor for a minute.

"...Not worth it."

His prediction had, unfortunately, come true. It had been quite some time since he had slowed his trek to Las Noches, but even then he was still heading in its general direction. And in that time he hadn't appeared to get any closer, nor had he found anyone strong enough to have a bit of fun with.

The tedium was starting to drag on.

He quickly came upon the realization that as a hollow, there wasn't really much to do at this point. Several times he had walked into anbushes by larger packs of hollows, but they hadn't managed to be much of a challenge; he had even let some of them go.

 _And what would I even do at the palace? Sit on my ass waiting for orders?_

He wasn't getting far with that train of thought; in fact, he hadn't had much luck digging out his own limited memory in the first place. He was stuck.

A sudden power spike nearby made his eyes pop open in surprise to see a winged form drop down at him from above, screeching fiercely. He swiftly brought his legs up and rolled over, leaping away as the hollow smashed down in a blast of sand.

Shin sighed again in disappointent after a quick scan of his opponent. "I think I actually preferred when random hollows just came up and tried to talk instead," he muttered, bracing as the creature appeared through the haze, mindlessly lunging forwards.

 _Oh well._

\--

Days later, something in the wastes had finally piqued his interest: a powerful reiatsu, far stronger than the average vasto he had encountered. He had immediately made to head to its source, only to find that it had found him first.

The being stood atop a mound of stone, gazing down where he had been resting. The sheer amount of power washed over Shin, stoking the restlessness that had been simmering for months to an unbearable heat. That with the open face and mask fragment covering his entire left eye meant only one thing: this was an arrancar.

"Vasto lorde," his voice rang out, "I could sense your power from quite a distance. You would be quite welcome at the castle of Las Noches as an ally for the upcoming..."

Shin could barely hear the words over the sound of blood throbbing through his veins. His vision was tinged red, muscles twitching restlessly.

 _This is what I've been looking for!_

The arrancar contined to ramble on imperiously, seemingly not noticing the reaction he had unknowingly caused. With a twist and a jump, he leapt up in an instant, one hand cocked back to strike. The arrancars brow seemed to rise carelessly, as if he was expecting this, and one white-robed arm rose to block.

The impact sent out a massive shockwave, the arrancar skidding backwards, arm bloodied. His face registered pure shock as his other hand reached for the sword strapped to his hip, muttering "This can't be right, he's just a-" Shin appeared from behind, swinging around in a massive kick that sent the arrancar flying.

He slammed into the sand again, stumbling upright, somehow managing to bring his blade to bear as Shin leapt in, claws swinging wildly. Ferocious laughter echoed from behind his mask as he closed, reveling in the feeling.

This was what he had been sorely missing. Not simply slaughtering whatever stood in his path, not simply dominating. He wanted to bathe in his opponents power, feel that fight or flight instict take over as he fought with every ounce of strength.

 _Speaking of..._

The arrancar was floundering, caught off guard by his sudden assault, barely managing to block or deflect his bare-handed swings. With a disgusted growl he batted aside the sword, delivering a heavy kick to his stomach and flinging him into a nearby dune. The arrancar coughed violently, crimson spilling down his front as he stared up, shock clear in his eyes. Shin stalked up, snagging the mans fallen sword and tossing it at his feet.

"Get up." The arrancar gaped at him. A bitter taste rose in his throat at the sight. " _Get up._ You were talking like you were some hot shit just a minute ago."

"N-no, I..." the man stammered, hand slowly grasping the hilt of his blade. Shin narrowed his eyes dangerously and he stood quickly, though stumbling a bit. He seemed to recover some of his bravado and assumed a rather pompous fighting stance. "I am a loyal fracción of my lord Barragan, and-"

"I don't care."

"-I am here to...excuse me?" Shin would have laughed at the mans expression - if he wasn't so completely uninterested.

"I have been wandering this fucking desert for months. There has been both nothing of interest and nothing to do."

"Well, I don't see-"

"SO," Shin roared out, cutting him off, "you are the only damn thing with a decent amount of power around, and if you value your life you will use all of it to FIGHT ME!" The statement was punctuated with his reiatsu blasting out, sweeping the surrounding sand into a crimson whirlwind.

The arrancar stepped back in fear for a moment before raising his blade in an odd pose, lips moving. Shin felt a large spike in power, the sensation driving a mad shout of laughter out as he crouched down like a beast. His opponent had somehow transformed into some sort of armored creature from the waist up, letting out a bellow as its strange arms began to glow.

\--

"Do you feel that?"

"How could I not? I can sense Patros, but who is he fighting?"

The two forms clothed in white both stared in the same direction, their _pesquisa_ telling them where the battle was.

One with a large half of a skull covering his black hair, complete with two large tusks framing his face, started in surprise as a massive explosion sounded, the sand erupting into a pillar reaching hundreds of feet high. The other, mask covering all but his lower face and blond hair swaying from the shockwave, frowned. "Something feels rather...odd about his opponent," he remarked thoughtfully.

His companion glanced over in question.

"It doesn't feel like another arrancar."

They traded a tense look.

"Go and find his majesty," the black-haired one said firmly, nodding at the others surprised expression. "I have a feeling about this one."

"Good or bad?"

"...I don't know."

\--

Shin reared back, panting heavily, arms and torso bloodied and burned from the arrancars strange energy blasts. But even with that, he stood victorious, the man having returned to his original form, seemingly at the end of his power. He lay bleeding into the sand from multiple deep gashes across his torso, coughing in agony.

Shin, his voice hoarse from exertion, began to laugh.

"That was more like it," He gasped, feeling incredibly satisfied. The fight hadn't taken very long, but the sheer intensity had scratched an itch deep in his core.

"I don't...understand you at all..." The arrancar managed to choke out before Shins eyes flared in his direction ominously.

He protested weakly as Shin took hold of one bloodied ankle, dragging him to the top of a nearby dune. He paused, taking another deep breath.

 _Arrancars are supposed to be the strongest around, yet here we are._

He took another long, speculative look at his victim.

 _...no point in leaving him like this._

With a massive heave, Shin flung the arrancar like a ragoll into the air, the man letting out a terrified scream. He lifted his head, focusing all his power into a massive cero between the tips of his horns.

With one last howl the energy shot out, annihilating the falling form and detonating. The surrounding desert was pummeled by the blast, and Shin fell to one knee in exhaustion, sand washing over his weary form from the force.

His mind felt clearer than it had in ages, and with that clarity he felt a tiny pang of remorse for attacking as he did. The arrancar had clearly just come to try and recruit him, just as Nel had; even if he had been a pompous asshole. But it was done, and nothing in the world was bringing that man back. No reason to linger. He sat after a moment, wincing slightly from the burns that still lingered.

 _So what now?_

He'd gotten the battle he'd been lusting after, but now he was back to his original problem. Arrancar weren't exactly common from what he could tell, so seeking out more fights like that wasn't going to be terribly productive. So all that remained...was to head to Las Noches. He glanced its direction.

 _What else was there to do?_

Shin finally stood, having recovered enough to move on. A small noise behind made him turn -

He hissed in surprise, whirling around into a low crouch: a group of four hollows stood some distance off, staring his way intently.

All but one large red bird-like adjucha were small, bipedal, skin clearly showing - all arrancar. All three were clothed in similar white clothes, varying in styles except for the hakama pants. The two to the sides he ignored mostly, though he could sense rather wary looks from both.

What drew his attention was the wide, thickset man in the center of the formation. The waves of power he was emanating made the one he had just fought seem like a joke.

He appeared as an aged, wrinkled old man, though still thickly muscled, dark skin like tanned leather. His features jutted out as if carved from stone, and several knotted scars crossed his face, one running over and closing his right eye. An impressive white mustache covered his upper lip, his mask fragment resembling a five-pointed crown framing his head.

His one good eye was fixed on Shin with an intensity that held him in place. His fight or flight instincts were rising again - and not in the way he might enjoy.

The blond arrancar standing to the right cleared his throat briefly. "Hollow. Your name, if you please."

"Who's asking?"

His other companion's lip curled, barking out, "Do you have any idea who you are speaking to?! You will-" He took a step back, face paling at the menacing growl Shin let out in response.

"Stop this squabbling," the old arrancar rumbled, his tone immediately snapping his subordinates to attention with a chorus of 'yes, my lord'. Shin turned back to face him, rising out of his crouch warily.

"So," he continued slowly, "it seems you've killed one of my men."

 _He doesn't sound very angry about it..._

Shin shrugged, pale shoulders lifting casually. "I had a bit of a...problem. He helped me out."

"And you saw fit to destroy him for it."

 _Still not angry._ "He underestimated me."

"And that warrants a death sentence?"

"Not particularly, but he was weak. This is Hueco Mundo, right?"

The arrancar cocked one bushy white brow at the question, to which Shin couldn't help the venom creeping into his voice with his next statement. "Survival of the fittest."

A surprised pause, and suddenly the man roared out in laughter, head tilted back in amusement as his men looked at him in shock.

"I can see why you two sent for me," he gestured one gnarled towards a very confused Shin. "This one has a certain fire about him. I'll take the loss of one fool for a meeting such as this."

"So you don't care that I killed him?"

The man snorted in disdain. "As you said, he was weak. I have no use for weak things. And you are anything but, single-handedly defeating an arrancar at your level. Most impressive."

The praise was nice and all, but if this conversation was leading where he thought it was, he might end up disappointing this powerful man; who he could only imagine was another Espada. As luck would have it, it seemed he wasn't the only one following that idea.

"My lord Baraggan," the blond arrancar said thoughtfully, "I do believe this hollow in particular has already been reported. By lady Nelliel, no less."

"Hrm?"

"Yes, sir. The report was for a large draconid adjucha some months ago. For the sake of clarity, I asked for more details, to which she provided a rather...interesting sketch." The man pulled out a folded piece of paper, holding the contents out for his lord to see.

Shin grinned as Baraggan shook his bushy head at the sight: a cartoonish drawing of what appeared to be some sort of lizard. The arrancar holding the image continued. "As you can see, the only real detail I can glean is the rather unusual horn shape. Which this vasto does appear to possess."

Baraggan huffed at that, glancing back at Shin who nodded in confirmation. He crossed his arms moodily. "Hmph. Well I suppose I can't deny the similarity, or if Nelliel has already claimed him."

"No, sir." He turned back to Shin. "Now, if I may have your name, for the record. It would be good to avoid any...unfortunate incidents in the future."

 _What an understatement._

"Shin." The man scribbled on a note he had whipped out for a moment. "Very good. I am Findorr Calius, serving under his majesty."

As he spoke, the other two stepped forwards, introducing themselves as well. The whole experience was rather nice, somewhat of a novelty after spending so much time alone out in the wastes. The one called Ggio still seemed to regard him skeptically, but Shin couldn't bring himself to care much.

"And obviously you must be the Espada, Baraggan, right?" The grizzled old arrancar raised a brow at the familiar tone. "Nel mentioned you when we first met."

"Did she?" He mused for a moment. "Yes, I am the segunda Espada, Baraggan Louisenbairn."

"Wait, not the first?" A small grimace creased the mans face at that, but the surprised tone seemed to mollify him some.

"The title of primera Espada belongs to Coyote Starrk," Findorr stated in an oddly strained tone, a feeing that seemed to be shared with his other companions. Shin looked between them curiously. Ggio sighed. "Nothing wrong with the guy I guess, he's just...well..."

"Lacking motivation."

"Too relaxed."

"So damn lazy."

The three fracción all spoke their minds at once, while Baraggan simply huffed in annoyance. "You'll meet the man eventually, you can judge him then." The man swung around. "For now, I'll have Nelliel owe me a favor. I did still lose a pawn today."

With one last grumpy nod in his direction, Baraggan began stomping off towards Las Noches. His followers made to follow, Findorr pausing for a moment. "I may be mistaken, but I believe the lady Nelliel would want more than just the assurance that you are alive. Will you be joining us at Las Noches before long?"

Shin looked back out to the open desert. Some small part of him still wanted some time to himself to come to terms with it all...

"You still wish to be alone with your thoughts?"

He gave the arrancar an amazed look, who responded with a small smirk. "Reading people is somewhat of a...speciality of mine." Shin snorted, asking, "It was that clear?"

"Exacta." The blond man shrugged slightly. "You should know, we are all still hollows, and not always terribly sociable. It's not as if the entire palace is swarming with activity. Plenty of peace and quiet to be found."

There really was no particular reason to keep wandering like he had been, and being civilized was a nice change of pace. "...Yeah, I think I will head there soon. Nothing more to do out here."

"Then until we meet again." Findorr bowed slightly before darting off after his group, already far in the distance.

Shin watched him go pensively. He suddenly felt like he had overcome some large hurdle. He needed some time before moving on.

Gazing up at the moon, he saw it had morphed into a slender crescent in the past days. The sight no longer burned him with an echo of missing memories.

 _...one more night wouldn't hurt._


	6. Chapter 6: Civility

-Forenote-

I am spectacularly lazy. I just want you to know that.

In any case, this felt like a pretty nice chunk of time to work on the chapter. Time to properly think, time to write, and time to allow myself to indulge in doing absolutely nothing except reading and mobile games.

Damn you, F/GO events.

Anyways, I hope you all have a good time with this entry. It took while to work out a lot of the little details I hadn't originally thought of when first starting this, but it is still coming out nicely. I hope.

Enjoy!

-Forenote end-

Chapter 6: Civility

Shin shuddered, cowed by the aura of rage emanating from the woman standing ahead, somehow holding his ground. Waves of power surged out, limning her in a poisonous green aura, hair lifting and waving like some sort of hellish gorgon.

This was not the reception he had expected.

 **\--Las Noches, hours earlier--**

Nelliel of the Espada strode through her rooms restlessly, following an automatic path as she paced. One hand was raised to her lips, a nail constantly being nibbled upon.

"...That is a disgusting habit, my lady." She shot the speaker, a startlingly pale arrancar, a rather dirty look. He quickly assumed a neutral pose, hands clasped behind his back in deference as she passed. Another form, this one much larger, waddled through a doorway as his leader walked by without noticing him. The man turned his massive head towards the other in worry.

"What she doing?" He asked, the words altered by an odd accent, making him sound rather slow. The smaller man sighed.

"I would assume she is concerned about the most recent report."

"About dat hollow?" As mentioned, a message from one of Baraggan's men had come through only a few hours earlier, stating that the hollow named Shin had been rediscovered nearby.

This was what had Nel wearing a groove in the floor as she circled. The word that he was alive at all was incredible. It had been months since she had last seen the large adjucha, and with no word of anyone catching sight of him in the following weeks, she had assumed the worst and moved on. But now he had reappeared, and as a fully-fledged vasto lorde no less. The stories were already circulating through the palace of his battle with an arrancar - and subsequent victory.

Nel bit straight through one nail at that thought. She'd known he was strong before, but this...this was almost unprecedented. For an arrancar to fall against numerous weaker opponents was one thing, but to be killed by just a single vasto while in his released state was a first, regardless of the individual strength of the arrancar.

 _Shin..._

Nel stopped, hands curling into determined fists.

\--

Findorr Calius turned at a sound to see Nel quick-stepping up to him, a particularly fierce expression on her delicate features.

"You're the one who reported about Shin, yes?"

He cocked an eyebrow behind his mask, rather thankful for a moment that it covered most of his face. "That's right," he bowed slightly as he spoke, somewhat wary. He couldn't remember a time when the third Espada had appeared so...riled. He continued calmly, "We encountered the man just under a day away, at our pace."

Her expression darkened. "And you didn't bring him with you?"

Hiding his reaction, Findorr quickly responded with a small smile. "He seemed perfectly capable of handling himself, while also assuring me he would be here within a short period."

Nel's piercing gaze reached diamond-cutting levels before she let out a long breath, looking away. "And I suppose it wouldn't have been very smart to try to force him in any way, all considering."

"Exacta."

She crossed her arms rather grumpily as she thanked him and strode off. Findorr watched her go, quite amused at the protective behavior she was showing.

The third Espada was always interesting to observe.

\--

Szayelaporro's thin pink brow creased in detached incredulity at his fellow Espada. "No, Nelliel, I do not have a device to track a specific hollow out in the wastes of Hueco Mundo," he drawled out.

The surprised emotion that crossed her face served to both flatter and annoy. He continued, interrupting her next words. "Yes, I have numerous surveillance devices all over Las Noches to monitor for the reiatsu of any intruders. They do not extend to the desert at this time, nor could they locate any one hollow. Yet."

He made a small movement with the scalpel he was holding in one blood-covered hand, eliciting a piercing screech from the... _thing_ he had strapped to the table he stood over.

Nel opened her mouth, only to be cut off by the scientist again. "The information was relayed by Aaroniero to every Espada, I do know who you are looking for. It did say this 'Shin' would be here soon. Maybe he should use his own and arrive quicker." Chuckling at his own humor, he missed her dry look. She turned to leave, long hair waving. One last sentence halted her right before exiting his lab.

"I'll need to examine him when he is here, as you very well know. I require all the data possible, and this one does seem to show some semblance of promise."

The slightly displeased expression she shot back only made him smirk as she strutted away. Another movement with the knife and a spurt of crimson shot up, drawing a gruesome line down one thin cheek as he carved.

"I do so enjoy our little talks."

\--

Hours later, Peshe Guatiche watched his lady loop - again - through her quarters. He had just finished persuading her not to run all the way to the most Northward entrance, closest to where this Shin had last been seen.

 _"I'm going."_

 _"That would make no sense."_

 _"I don't care."_

 _"He will show up when he wants to! There is no guarantee from which direction, and it will take nearly a full day to reach the gate. Which, by that point, you may just miss him!"_

She had pouted at this, finally relented, and resumed her pacing.

Pesche watched as she swept past again, Dondochakka stomping into the room with a large steaming platter of food.

Nel didn't so much as glance in its direction.

He sighed as his large friend plopped himself down as well, shrugging in response to Peche's defeated stance.

"When I have to be the voice of reason, it truly is a dark time," he muttered under his breath.

 **\--Hueco Mundo--**

At each entrance to the massive structure of Las Noches there stood equally huge gates, heavily reinforced and meters thick. The outlines of smaller doors could be seen lining the base to allow for more mundane entry.

It was around these that the guards for these entranceways clustered, hollows of varying sizes and power levels patrolling a wide area, alert for any attack.

Mostly alert.

"Oi."

"What?"

One small insect adjucha shook himself free of the sand, translucent wings buzzing in irritation. "I'm getting antsy again."

"You're a bug."

The hollows in the surrounding area all cackled, the beetle grinding its teeth together. "Not like that," it snapped, "I need to feed, its been ages since anything has been stupid enough to come anywhere near the gate."

One larger hollow snorted. "Then go. Make it quick, I could eat too."

A shrill whistle from above the gate suddenly rang out, and every creature in the area jumped up.

"Talk about timing!" He chirruped in excitement, burrowing back into the sand quickly.

The scouts above saw a thin plume of sand rapidly approaching the gate, a small form at its head blurred at the speed it was going. At the edge of a large dune the figure leapt out in a high arc, landing in a crouch and a shower of sand at the furthest edge of guarding hollows. It rose after a moment, jaggedly curved horns glinting in the moonlight. More than a few hollows hissed in surprise; all forces in Las Noches had been informed of this one, and none had forgotten the stories.

Except one.

With a ringing cry, the beetle hollow rushed out of the sand, jaws gaping wide as it lunged. The man didnt move as the creature clamped onto one arm, teeth grinding away - to no effect.

There was a silent moment as every other being in sight held their collective breaths. The skull-faced hollow simply looked down at the creature, who had released his bite and stepped back fearfully, lowering down apologetically onto all fours.

"I-I-I'm sorry, I d-didn't..." The hollow stammered, cold terror shaking it to the core. "I was...I hadn't realized..."

His yellow gaze narrowed slightly, and the hollow cringed...

"You're lucky I don't have to eat like that anymore."

The surrounding guards all watched in amazement as he stalked past, not sparing them a second glance.

"Who is in charge here?"

Another vasto jumped down from a small pillar of stone leading to the gate, striding up importantly. The man, a piscine mask covering his head and a rather smart white outfit completed the aura of officiality as he assumed a rigid stance. "State your name, hollow."

"Shin."

The vasto nodded crisply. "As I thought. We had been informed and have been awaiting your arrival. Now, if you will please come this way, for regulations sake we must-"

"I don't care about that. I'm here for the third Espada, Nelliel."

A chilling silence fell throughout the ranks as the vasto froze. He puffed up indignantly.

"Who do you think you are?!" He poked a quivering finger out - it was immediately batted aside as Shin flashed forwards, taking him by the neck in one clawed hand, lifting up as the man gasped for air.

Shin held him there casually, glancing around at the surrounding hollows. None appeared to want to step forwards and help. Snorting, he raised his other hand, bright red energy swirling slowly as he held it to his victims chest. "It doesn't matter who I am, does it?"

The man began to thrash in horror as the cero grew in intensity, searing the front of his clothes. Shin held him calmy, waiting.

"No...no, please forgive me! _Please!"_ He screamed as it reached a peak - and stopped. Shin curled his fingers to snuff the technique out, a wisp of smoke curling up as he dropped the other vasto. It crumpled to the sand, choking for breath.

Arms crossed, Shin watched him stagger up, bowing deeply.

"P-please follow me."

\--

They moved through the vast halls of Las Noches swiftly, Shin hiding his amazement at the sheer scale of the place. It had appeared massive from the desert, but actually standing inside...

It defied all expectations.

Cavernous white hallways, almost always lined with massive pillars of the same stone made up most of what he could see, and that alone stretched for miles on end, doorways spotted along the sides. Here and there hollows mixed about, in groups or alone, most casting wary looks his way if not clearly moving out of the way as fast as possible.

His guide answered any questions he had with admirable speed, if still somewhat shakily from their first meeting. Through this, Shin learned quite a lot about the layout of the place, which he resolved to simply call a city - it was too large to be thought of as one single entity. He was trying to get a better idea of what was contained in the center of the structure, which the vasto was being a bit vague on, when an all-too familiar hollow came into sight.

Nnoitra Gilga.

His eyepatched head tilted to one side as they came up to where he was, squinting at Shin suspiciously. "Who's this?"

The other vasto, if anything even more nervous in the Espadas presence, snapped to attention. "This is the hollow from the information we received yesterday. I'm taking him to the third Espada now."

Nnoitra's expression tightened at the words, pushing off of the wall he had been leaning on and easily towering over the two. The Espada circled Shin like a wolf. The memory of their first encounter in the desert came vividly to mind, and he had to fight the instinct to lash out - or run.

"So..." Nnoitra drawled out, "This is the big bad vasto that took out that one idiot of Baraggans, eh?" Sneering, he ran a long finger along the tip of one horn. "Well you look scary enough I guess, though you don't seem like much otherwise." He began to walk away, apparently finished with his inspection.

"Neither do you."

Nnoitra froze, turning slowly to see Shin's glowing eyes flaring ocher in hate. The air thickened with palpable tension, and the few surrounding beings quickly fled. The fish-like vasto had retreated to a far corner, rapidly speaking into a small device clipped to his collar.

The Espada glared at the smaller man, a distinctly unpleasant expression on his thin face. "What was that?"

"I said you don't seem like much either...Nnoitra."

"I don't remember telling you my name."

"We've met."

After a long pause, Nnoitra barked out a harsh laugh. "You were that big bastard hiding behind Nelliel's skirts way back, weren't you? Hah! The one who ran for his pathetic life!"

The man cackled madly, mouth open, and Shin was able to glimpse a stark black '8' inscribed somehow on the mans tongue.

"Eighth, huh..."

The Espada stopped at the comment, caught off guard at the tone. "What's it to you?"

Shin grinned behind his mask, a dangerous heat boiling up. "Well, it's like I thought."

"Hah?"

"You really aren't much at all...compared to Nel."

\--

"Reporting in, ma'am!"

Nel shot up out of her seat, the scout dropping to a knee as she approached. She motioned for him to speak.

"The hollow known as Shin has entered Las Noches at the Westernmost gate..."

Nel frowned. _West? But that means he's by..._

He seemed to pause nervously for a moment before continuing, "...but is currently engaged with the eighth Espada. Nobody has been able to intervene as of yet."

The scout paled at seeing her reaction, lowering himself even more as she swept past, vanishing into the hallways beyond a second later. The man rose, nodding to the two fracción still in the room before departing as well. Pesche shook his head at the sight.

"Hell hath no fury..."

\--

Shin exhaled sharply, ducking under a wide sweep as he moved to counter, thrusting one claw forwards - only to be deflected with a shower of sparks. He jumped back, growling in frustration.

After his comment, Nnoitra had lost all traces of humor, whipping out his massive crescent weapon and attacking viciously. To say he hadn't been goading the tall Espada would be a lie, but he certainly hadn't expected the amount of ire his words would draw.

The fact that Shin couldn't even put a scratch on him didn't help.

Any time he managed to step in far enough, he would either be blown back by that huge polearm or his claws would simply be ineffective against the rock-like skin. He was losing.

A moment later the blade thrust out suddenly, catching him at one elbow and shearing it off in a flash of pain. Shin snarled in rage, flashing away and reappearing further down the hall, panting heavily. Nnoitra finally cracked another grin, kicking the severed limb away gruesomely.

"Well, finally getting worn out, eh?" He sniggered, watching as Shin staggered back a step, clutching his shoulder. A black needle suddenly jutted out from the stump, spinning wildly - and a new arm was in place, eliciting an ugly expression from the Espada.

"Regeneration...what a pain." He swung his blade in an arc, landing it heavily on one shoulder. "But in the end, it's only going to make this last longer!"

With a roar he leapt forwards, another quick flurry of blows raining down at the smaller hollow, Shin desperately parrying or dodging what he could. Blood spattered on the stone floor with each movement he made.

He lunged to the side, receiving a vicious gash to the ribs, putting all of his weight into a blow to the neck - nothing.

He vanished under a sweep from that terrible weapon, reappearing on the other side and unleashing a flurry of swipes to an unprotected side - nothing.

 _I'm not strong enough_

The thought inflamed him even as Nnoitra caught him with a heavy strike, launching him down the hallway. Several hollows that had been watching from afar scuttled away in terror as he careened into the wall, gouging out a crater from the impact. The taste of copper seeped into his mouth.

He barely managed to react as the crescent blade came hurtling through the air, cutting into the wall on each side and holding him painfully by the neck. He could see the Espada leer through the haze.

 _Never give in. FIGHT._

With an enraged howl, he charged the rest of his power between his horns, building a massive cero. Nnoitra began to laugh in scorn - his eye widened in shock as it compressed, pulsating and spinning rapidly, taking on a strange black tint. It blasted out a moment later, filling the corridor with an eerie glow. The man leapt to the side, the cero barely missing his lanky form as it roared past...and vanished.

They both stared down the hall to see a silhouette slowly appear through the smoke as it strode up.

Nelliel.

Her emerald eyes sparked in fury as she glanced over Shin, still held to the wall by Nnoitra's weapon and covered in blood. She stopped next to the man in question, turning her head slowly to face him. He snapped out of his surprise and began to smirk confidently...

And instantly disappeared in the impossibly huge viridian cero she exhaled, black strands of energy crackling along its length, the sheer force pushing the woman backwards. It eventually stopped, and Shin could see a glimpse of the desert through the crumbling hole. Coughing, she rubbed her chest, grimacing in discomfort as she started in his direction.

Without a word, she yanked the weapon holding him out of the wall, tossing it carelessly on the ground with a loud clatter. Shin staggered to his feet, heaving for breath.

"Nel, I-" was all he managed to say before one hand came up in a blur, smacking his head to one side with incredible force. He heard a weary sigh the instant before he passed out.

\--

"Do you think he's dead?"

Shin stirred slowly, painfully, a groan slipping out as his injuries throbbed.

"Of course not. He can regenerate, a simple slap isn't going to kill him."

"How do you know that?"

Another familiar sigh drew him further from his sluggish stupor. "Because I saw his arm lying in the corridor."

"But they're both right here...oh."

Shin heard a contemplative 'hmm', and felt a sharp poke to one shoulder. His eyes snapped open, sending the figure that was leaning over him hopping back in surprise, hands raised unthreateningly.

Shin dragged his bruised torso up, gritting his teeth. Self-healing or not, he hurt like hell. He was lying on a small bed, Nel leaning against the wall opposite. The hollow that had been closest chose to stand to her right, hands clasped behind his back. He appeared as a white-clad arrancar, slender and of average height. A rather odd curve of bone rested on his head of blond hair, tilting back into two symmetrical prongs. His skin was a rather interesting tone, incredibly pale and tinged the faintest purple. Hazel eyes rose slightly at the inspection.

Shin moved back to Nel as he levered his legs off the bed. "You know..." He paused, neck popping at the movement and causing him to wince. "You didn't have to knock me out like that."

Nel lifted one brow delicately. "Of course I did."

"How do you figure that?"

"You were being stupid."

He threw his hands up at that, scowling. "Well, that just makes it all okay then."

"Indeed. I feel much better for it."

Shin stared at her before exhaling sharply, hanging his head in exasperation. They all remained quiet as he rubbed one sore spot on his leg. The other man in the room fidgeted awkwardly, before making an excuse and walking away.

Shin finally looked back up to see Nel still gazing at him, some unspeakable emotion in her eyes.

"So," she began slowly, "you finally made it."

Shin grunted in affirmation, to which she narrowed her eyes dangerously. "And you immediately picked a fight with Nnoitra."

"Seemed like a good idea at the time." The response only seemed to worsen the situation, and a small part of him wished he could take it back.

"Are you an idiot?" Her voice was scathing, making Shin rear onto his feet in retort.

"I'm not dead, am I?"

"Because of me, you mean."

"I would have figured out something."

She laughed mockingly. "Oh, I'm sure. Right after he'd sliced off one arm _and_ your head, you would have just regenerated that too and made your incredible comeback, hmm?"

Shin sputtered at that, struggling for a retort.

Their argument stretched on for ages, Nel's reiatsu surging out in anger several times, until a light voice from the side interrupted. "Mom, Dad, please don't fight."

The thunderous expression on Nel's face might have made Shin laugh in any other situation as they both turned to see the blond arrancar come back in the room with a small platter, a pot and several cups rattling as he set it on a table nearby. The man disappeared just as quickly, but not without throwing a subtle wink his way.

Several quiet seconds passed, in which Nel seemed to visibly deflate, grumpily pouring herself a cup of some steaming liquid after she'd walked over. One sip later, and she sank down into an elegant chair, holding the drink in both hands.

 _A_ _t least she cant hit me anymore...I think._

Shin lowered himself back onto the bed, elbows resting on his legs as they traded guarded looks.

"He's always like that," Nel said abruptly, shattering the quiet as he looked up in surprise. The ghost of a smile passed over her lips as she took another drink. "He always knows just how to defuse any tension in the room."

"So that was..?"

"Pesche," she answered. "Pesche Guatiche. One of my fracción."

Shin nodded, trying to remember. "You mentioned him before. Him and Don...uh."

"Dondochakka Birstanne."

"Yeah, sure." His unconvinced tone made her snort and she set aside her cup, staring at him again.

"What am I going to do with you, Shin?" She wondered aloud. He rocked back a bit at that, unsure of how to respond as she kept speaking.

"Your first act at Las Noches was to goad one of the Espada into a brawl; inside the palace, no less, causing quite a bit of damage. Speaking of, that cero you fired off would have taken out an entire wing had I not redirected it." At the thought, she leaned forwards in her seat some. "Which, by the way, was exceptionally powerful. My lungs still hurt."

"Eh...sorry?"

"I'll accept that apology only because Nnoitra may have killed you otherwise. Good job in that regard I suppose..."

Shin cocked his head, voice hopeful. "About that, is he dead?"

She sniffed daintily. "Of course not. I toned your cero down some before releasing it. He's probably singed, but he'll live."

Shin tsked in disappointment, which Nel didn't miss. "And that is exactly my point, Shin. What exactly did you come here for? To cause trouble?"

Frowning, he shook his head once.

"Well? Then what?"

 _She's like my mom..._ Shin groaned a bit internally, thinking.

He was here due to sheer boredom, obviously. With nothing left to do out in the wastes except lay around like some sort of bum, the only thing that made sense was to head towards civilization - as it was. Hollows or not, the fact remained that they had an entire city to themselves. A people preparing for war, no less. And who was more suited to war than a hollow? To grow stronger in preparation for the battles to come was a given. But what exactly was he _here_ for?

The one thing Shin kept coming back to was that he simply didn't know. He didn't have enough of himself to really say what drove him forward. He knew why he wanted power; to fight for what he cared about.

But he didn't particularly give a damn about...well, anything. Not yet at least.

He relayed this to Nel, a strange weight lifting as he did so, and he caught a strangely satisfied look on her face. "That will do for now. That, and being, ah... _polite_ to your superiors."

"Ehhhh..."

He held up his hands in acceptance as she stared him down.

"I'll try. Nnoitra specifically makes it...difficult."

Nel went to speak, paused, and brought a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "...I'll give you that. But no more fights in the halls."

He chuckled and stood, body no longer aching from his earlier beating. "Orders, right. I guess that means I'm enlisted now?"

"In a way. This isn't exactly a standard gathering."

"Hmm." Shin moved over to a small slitted window on the opposite wall looking out over the endless desert.

 _What are we even supposed to do here?_ With a start he realized he'd spoken out loud as Nel responded, listing off various tasks and patrol routes, as well as bringing up some of the key staff currently in Las Noches.

Shin let her ramble on as he listened dutifully. He felt unusually peaceful, considering recent events; he faintly remembered the same sensation when he had first come to the surface. A subtle glance to the side at Nel's animated gestures and expressions as she talked brought a small smile underneath his mask. Just being around her seemed to have a calming effect on his mind.

If only she had found him before Nnoitra.

Shin tuned back into her speech, which had taken on a pleading tone, "...and please be careful now, you are under my command. Anything you do will come back to me. You may be an idiot-"

"Hey now," he protested lightly.

"-but you are _my_ idiot. Got it?"

Nel's fierce look caught him somewhat off guard, and he sighed in resignation. "Yes, ma'am."

She lit up into a brilliant smile.

At that moment, they both turned at the sound of heavy footsteps to see a large and rather stumpy individual move into the room. He had the strangest tribal-painted mask covering his entire head; the eyes, a part of the mask but somehow still moving, swept around the room. Nel waved - just before the man spotted Shin in the corner. The eyes shot open, and at a fairly impressive speed he bolted out of the room. A distant bellow of 'scary guuuuuyyyy' echoed through the room.

Shin shook his horned head in amazement, Nel rolling in her seat from laughing.

 _Doesn't look like boredom will be an issue here_...


	7. Chapter 7: Refinement

-Forenote-

So. This took a while. I finished that last chapter, took a couple days of relaxation, went to start this one...

Only to realize real quick that the things I had planned didn't work anymore for the entire next section. Segment. Arc?

Anyways, I apologize for the long delay. Busy times at work where I would usually get my writing done, other distractions, and the fact that I'm just real bad at being consistent made this take way too long.

Good news, this little hiatus let me plan things out in a much better way than before. I like the way it works, it's going to be really interesting to write for me, and the hope is that you all like it as well.

In other news, I think that with my own faults in mind I'm going to adopt a 'when it is ready' schedule for releases. I don't want to promise anything regular when I'm just not good with being consistent, as I said. But worry not, unless I actually just die or something, I will keep working on this whenever I can. It's on my mind a good portion of the day even if I'm not writing.

Also, I was definitely planning to release this chapter yesterday, but April Fools is definitely a thing, and I'm not a fan.

Otherwise, I want to thank everyone who stops by to read this. As always, enjoy.

-Forenote end-

Chapter 7: Refinement

Quick blows rained down with a steady rhythm, forcing Shin backwards step by step. He dodged some with a swift and easy motion, others darting in close enough he had to parry them by hand, sparks flying from the contact with his skin.

 _Stay focused...breathe..._

His opponent switched to a more aggressive attack pattern, blade sweeping in at high angles and forcing him to improvise. Taking a strike hard on one forearm, he immediately shifted his weight to the opposite angle, sliding the weapon off to the side and leaving their stance wide open. Wasting no time he stepped in, claws whipping forwards.

They vanished with the soft noise of a sonido, leaving him to stagger, unbalanced. In the split second it took to regain his stance, he took three light smacks to the ribs. Shin grunted, shaking off the stinging pain and ducking under another swipe, one leg darting out to intercept. With a start, he found a sandaled foot kicking off of his mask a second later as they vaulted up with enviable grace.

Heat rose in his blood as he let out a snarl, rushing after mindlessly. His swings became sloppy and wild in his frustration, his opponent sidestepping and deflecting his claws effortlessly. With a sigh, they locked one of his arms wide with no apparent struggle, leaning in to strike-

Their eyes widened as the blocked hand glowed an ominous red, barely flashing away in time as energy vaporized the ground they had been standing on. Shin leapt through the haze an instant later, vibrant crimson reiatsu wreathing his form as he attacked. Every other clash was now punctuated by a cero blasting out, some point-blank, others used to close distance when they got too far out of arms reach. He seemed to be finally gaining ground, each hit landing closer, when they vanished again.

 _Now!_

Shin performed a sonido of his own, blurring away - several stories up. To his satisfaction, he saw his surprised opponent poised to strike where he had been an instant earlier. Too late. The reiatsu he had been gathering swiftly built in between his hands, growing to size in a flash. It erupted out with a terrific noise, straight down...

With a horrible realization, he saw a smug smile the instant before his own cero blasted him out of the sky.

\--

Shin grumbled in annoyance while wiping sand off his limbs, wincing as he touched the burns that remained. He heard a chuckle, looking around to see Nel walking up. She gave him an amused look as he stood from the crater he'd landed in.

"That was a good move."

He snorted, gesturing to his singed body. "Maybe against someone who couldn't just toss my own _cero_ back at me."

She nodded, examining him slowly. "At least you still have your clothes...mostly." He had abandoned the rags he had been wearing in favor of a pair of the standard white hakama pants, though both the talons on his feet and the fiery red patches on his shoulders and hands prevented him from comfortably wearing much else. Sadly, the blast had charred away most of the lower sections, though leaving him thankfully decent.

Several weeks had passed since his first arrival at Las Noches, and perhaps unsurprisingly, without much change. With no particular reason to leave, he had mostly remained in Nel's palace, only venturing out with Nel herself or during the occasional times Pesche managed to persuade him otherwise.

He had made quick friends with the easygoing arrancar, helped by the fact that the man appeared to simply lighten any mood in a room by existing. A witty quip or odd joke served to that purpose, but he would instantly switch to being impressively calm and disciplined whenever the need arose, serving to aid Nel however he could. Dondochakka, however, was still terrified by Shin; no matter how much they all tried to convince the adjucha that the horned hollow wasn't going to eat him.

When asked why she kept the fearful man around, he received a frosty stare and the words, "At least he doesn't make trouble for me."

In the idea of self-preservation he had abandoned that line of questioning, instead asking about the ascension to becoming an arrancar, something that still nagged at him constantly. Nel had attempted to explain it to the best of her abilities, but ended up only with vague feelings and theories.

Eventually, at Nel and Pesche's somewhat reluctant advice, he sought out answers from elsewhere.

 **\--Las Noches, one week earlier--**

Shin spat out a violent curse, shuddering in discomfort as a long, thick needle pulled out of his neck. The man wielding the massive tool smirked a bit, pulling the syringe away and storing in a blocky device behind him. "What did you expect? Only a needle of that size and strength can get through the _hierro_." He glanced back at Shin, who was rubbing the wounded spot gingerly. "Especially yours."

"I get that, but did you need to stick it in my neck, of all places?"

"Quit complaining. This is required of all hollows in Las Noches, vasto lorde and arrancar alike."

Shin scowled under his mask, though he would swear before whatever gods existed that this strange man could tell anyways.

Szayelaporro Grantz stood only slightly shorter than Shin himself, wreathed in white as every other arrancar was, though he seemed to wear the clothes in a rather elaborate fashion: a simple, yet elegant set of pants and a long-sleeved shirt, all tailored to appear almost overly simplistic. A pair of thickly-rimmed glasses adorned his thin nose, and Shin got the odd suspicion that it was his mask fragment. His features always seemed to hold a hint of casual disdain, as if he held the world and everyone in it in slight contempt. Styled pink hair crowning his head completed the appearance of a strangely civilized man, almost scholarly - if not for his actions.

"Strip."

"...Excuse me?"

The scientist turned, one pink brow raising as if surpised. "What? I'm not interested in men, if that's what you think. Strip, I need you in here," he drawled out, gesturing to another tall machine to the side. Shin stared, causing him to huff impatiently. "It's to analyze your reiatsu on a deeper level, surface data only tells me the basic details."

A sigh of his own and a minute later, Shin was inside the device, Szayelaporro tapping away at a keyboard on its surface. Metallic whirs and hums were heard, and Shin suddenly felt an odd probing sensation, accompanied by a faint searing feeling, like his skin was steaming.

"Am I supposed to feel this?" He called, voice echoing.

"Hmm?"

"It's like I'm being stung all over. And it itches like crazy."

The scientist frowned, hitting a rapid succession of keys and causing a small screen on the side of the machine to light up. A moment of study, and his amber eyes widened. He made another keystroke and the hum intensified, a pained expletive ringing out from the interior. Fingers blurring, his eyes were fixed on the screen with almost feverish intensity as he leaned in.

"Extraordinary..." he whispered.

Another bout of swearing from the machine and it shuddered from an impact. "What the hell are you doing?!"

The bespectacled man glanced over, glad he'd had the foresight to reinforce the doors. "Nothing, nothing," he replied, hitting another key as the machine shut off with a small beep. "A problem with the scanner is all." The front slid open a moment later, Shin stalking out and glaring daggers. Hiding his findings, the scientist led his charge through another few tests, none incredibly strange or painful, as Shin looked ready to snap at any moment.

Finally the examinations were done and Shin sat near the entrance, dressed once more and arms crossed moodily.

"You're free to go," Szayelaporro said, striding back into sight. Shin narrowed his eyes dangerously. He stopped, regarding the vasto lorde with a sigh. "What, you want the results? They're not particularly unique."

"Humor me."

The scientist rolled his eyes dramatically. "Fine then." Holding up one hand, he raised a finger for each point. "You have an excess of raw power, nothing particularly interesting, as I said. Your _hierro_ is quite strong, enough to stop most attacks even if your high-speed regeneration doesn't render most injuries a moot point. The only noticeable thing otherwise is your _cero_. The one you fired at Nnoitra was rather strange, but as you have no recollection of being a hollow prior to appearing in Hueco Mundo, I cannot say if that is an ability or not; though as it only appears to empower the destructive force of the blast I can only conclude it is also fairly boring. Until proven otherwise, of course."

Shin nodded, taking the criticism in surprising stride. He looked back up after a moment of thought. "And my other question?"

The man cocked an eyebrow. "How to become an arrancar? Is that not obvious?" He shrugged at the low growl that provoked. "Fine. You are not lacking in strength, so what exactly precipitated your change into the form you currently possess?"

"I got one of my memories back."

Szayelaporro leveled an obvious stare his direction, waiting for it to dawn.

"...So all I need is to remember more."

"Ah, understanding is true joy." The man raised his thin arms wide in exaggerated bliss. "To be exact, I would assume you need more than simply a single memory. Most likely, for a change like this, you will require full comprehension. Becoming an arrancar is to truly know ones self in the first place. I would assume even more so in your case."

"I need to know exactly who I was," Shin finished, a sense of hopelessness washing over him. The human world was massive, there was no telling where he might find a clue. And what if he had been in the Soul Society? The chances of learning anything were miniscule.

Szayelaporro studied him for a minute, a strange fascination in his eyes, before speaking again. "If you wish to improve other ways, I suggest you refine yourself in the meantime. You resemble a beast already, no reason to fight like one as well. Unless you want to, of course." With that last statement the man walked away without a backwards glance.

Shaking his horned head, Shin walked out of the strange building, still deep in thought.

 **\--Present day, outside Las Noches--**

Taking the advice into honest consideration, he could only think of one way to improve: sparring.

After a time, he asked Nel when she had returned from some other task. She had looked at him in surprise.

 _"Pesche won't help?"_

 _"He said something about keeping his pride -and limbs- intact. And Dondochakka..."_

 _They both heard the sound of panicked whimpering from another room._

 _"...Right. And of course you haven't exactly made friends around the palace much, hmm?"_

A day later they both ventured out into the desert surrounding the palace so they wouldnt damage it in their training. In between bouts Nel would lecture him on different fighting styles, most notably against longer weapons, polearms and the like. Shin had laughed when she'd brought it up

 _"Like a certain gigantic crescent...thing?"_

 _"...That is entirely up to your discretion. I'm just making sure you are prepared, Shinigami can have very odd weapons as well."_

 _She frowned at the thought. "All you have is your_ cero _and claws right now. You need to know exactly how to fight someone with a weapon instinctively, without thinking about it. And I don't mean just flailing around, you need technique. That's why we're out here."_

The only problem with that was the unavoidable fact that while his cero were his strongest attack by far, he was still training against the single being who could redirect those attacks with relative ease, and it made this training all the more frustrating.

Shin had still learned quite a lot in the time they had been out here, and his form had improved by miles. Performing sonido was now second nature, and using it to effect in battle was becoming easier by the minute; not that it had enabled him to land a real hit on the nimble Espada yet.

Every time he got close she managed to either evade or maneuver her blade in front of the strike without fail. And the times that he cornered her with a cero and wouldn't matter even if she did block, she simply swallowed the energy and launched it back even stronger. Thankfully it appeared that this was her own special technique, the cero doble, and not something others could perform as far as she knew.

Even without that, something had been bothering him for a while.

"Hey, Nel."

She made a questioning noise, glancing down from where she had been gazing up at the moon. They had been taking a small break, his minor scrapes and cuts healing quickly. Shin didn't meet her eyes, trying to find the right words. "In these spars, you're still holding back. Obviously."

She nodded easily. "Of course. I'm trying to train you, not kill you." Pausing, she saw his look trail over to her unsheathed sword.

"But that's not even the half of it, is it?" he asked, sounding oddly subdued. He was remembering the arrancar he met before his arrival at Las Noches. The man had used some sort of technique to transform, gaining immense power. He hadn't particularly cared at the time, but he'd noticed that all the arrancar appeared to have a weapon, while other hollows did not. It couldn't be that they needed to carry a blade, they were the strongest a hollow could be. There had to be something more.

Nel grimaced, realizing what he meant. "No, it's not," she admitted. "All arrancar have their own blade. A _zanpakuto_ , not just a piece of metal. When we become arrancar we become more human, more like a Shinigami. Thus, our more primal essence is stored in the shape of a blade, to be released at our command, and to restore us to our full power. Much like the blades of Shinigami, but most of their power is solely located in it. Ours act as more of a seal."

Shin let out a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Can you show me?" He noticed her startled expression, turning to face her fully. "Please."

Nel stared him down for a minute, then nodded somberly. "It's good you asked me out here; Espada at my rank and lower aren't allowed to perform _resurrección_ within the palace."

"Lucky me."

Shin watched intently as she backed away, assuming a rigid stance, sword held parallel to the ground.

"Praise..." The blade began to glow, a dim haze appearing. Shin felt a massive spike in her reiatsu as she spoke the final word.

"... _Gamuza_."

The mist exploded outwards, hiding her form as it swirled into a concealing shroud, shaking Shin to the core with waves of power that he could practically taste.

The soft sound of movement emanated from the cloud, and he finally saw the results.

She appeared as a tall centaur with a furred, four-legged body, her upper torso emanating where the head would normally be. The curling horns on her mask had straightened out, jutting backwards several feet, while small segments had grown down to frame her eyes. Rounded sections of bone armor covered her shoulders, elbows, and hands, her exposed arms sheathed by some black material. Her normal clothes seem be unchanged on the rest of her torso, disappearing at the junction between human and animal. Her weapon had changed as well, shifting into a long double-ended javelin. Pale white, it flared sharply from the handle in the middle, tapering down into fine points at each end.

Shin let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, to which Nel gave a small smile.

"Good enough, I assume."

"Yeah, thanks. I just needed to confirm something."

"Oh?" She tilted her head to one side curiously. Shin nodded, taking a seat in the sand as he spoke.

"You've done all you can to make me better in a fight, and I do appreciate that. The problem is that you can only really teach me one way."

Her expression turned rather miffed, and he waved his hands in panic as her lance tip moved ominously. "No, wait, hear me out! What I mean is that you can only really show me how to fight somebody far stronger than I am, only because you can do _this_. Right?"

After a tense pause, she planted the weapon in the sand, crossing her arms and motioning for him to go on.

Breathing easier, he continued. "From what I've been seeing, you can only hold back so much. In the end, you can achieve this form," he nodded her direction, "...and even without it I'm nowhere near your level."

Nel let out a long breath. "Yes, I see what you mean. Against me you will always have to fight a defensive battle."

"Exactly."

"So...what, you find someone around the same level to spar with? I hate to say it, but you're in a rather unusual spot for a vasto lorde. Almost no others of the same rank are like you, and many arrancar or Espada are too high up." She grimaced. "Plus, I have my doubts any of of them would agree to it."

"I don't know, Nnoitra seemed to like a good fight."

"You can't be serious!"

"I'm not."

Shin grinned at her dumbfounded look before they both burst out laughing, the sound echoing around the dunes as Nel glowed again, sand whirling into a cloud as she shifted back into her human form. She sat across from him, still smiling.

"Well then, I suppose our little training session here is complete."

"I guess so."

They sat for a time, watching the night pass by in silence, each holding to their own thoughts for a time.

"You know..."

Shin looked around to see Nel standing, an unusually animated grin gracing her lips. "While it is a shame, seeing you actually wanting to venture out on your own is nice."

Shin snorted out a laugh, which only made her smile widen. Gesturing for him to stand, she stepped away a fair distance as he looked on, curious.

"Now, you've been a rather good student. And a quick learner."

"Good to know I got my ass handed to me for a reason."

"...and with that, I've one final lesson for you. Something special, something I think you of all people might be able to try."

Interest piqued, he watched as a vibrant orb of green energy hummed to life in her palm. Her expression turned unsettlingly toothy.

 **\--Las Noches, the next day--**

Shin stalked back towards Nel's section of the city in a particularly foul temper, sending various hollows scurrying out of his way. Only a day into his search, and he'd run into an unexpected obstacle of his own making: a very dangerous reputation.

It turned out that in any large group, even hollows, that making your first appearance by manhandling the one guarding the gate doesn't give a friendly impression; not to mention his scuffle with an Espada shortly after. Shin had heard whispers of the like on his occasional walks around, but until now - to his own admittance - he hadn't really given a damn. So far, every single hollow with the exception of arrancar had given him a wide berth; even then, the few maskless he'd seen had made a point of avoiding direct contact.

 _In any other situation this might be useful...'sir', my ass._

It seemed that due to his inherent demeanor and the fact that he was under the direct command of the third Espada meant that most treated him with something between respect and terror, regardless of his actual strength. Even starting a conversation was difficult, and when any heard the reason for his search was in the first place, most turned rather pale and immediately made excuses.

He swiftly turned a corner, accidentally bumping into a huge figure. The man grunted in annoyance, four thick legs turning with loud thumps, bulbous and clubbed tail barely missing taking a chunk out of the wall. He gazed down at Shin through a heavily ridged and lined mask.

"Watch it," he grumbled out, words slow and careless. Shin felt a muscle in his temple twitch, and had to make a conscious effort to simply step to the side and keep moving - only to be held back by one wide arm from the larger hollow.

"And where do you think you're going?"

With a shove, the man positioned himself directly in the middle of the corridor, leering down.

"I know who _you_ are, you cocky little shit. You're the new guy that's been scaring the piss out of everyone." The man gave a booming laugh, not seeming to notice the reaction his words were having. He assumed a wide stance, arms set to the sides aggressively. "Do you know who I am? Huh?"

The tiniest possible shake of the head in response had him laughing again, cracking his huge knuckles. "Then let me teach you-"

That was the last word any bystanders heard as a collossal crash rang out and the entire hallway erupted in smoke and dust, tinged by an ominous red glow.

\--

"Please tell me you didn't kill him."

"No."

Nel narrowed her gaze dangerously at the response. Shin heaved a long sigh.

"I mean no, I didn't kill him. I just...moved him out of my way. He should still be alive."

"Should?"

"He was acting like he was some big deal, so I figured he could probably take a hit or two."

Nel lowered her head into her hands, massaging her temples. "You had only recently mellowed out some, why did I think it was a good idea for you to roam the palace alone..." she moaned tiredly. "Please tell me that's all the trouble you got in today?"

Shin crossed his arms moodily. "Yes, mom."

He received a wry expression for his sarcasm, continuing on to go over his progress.

"No luck so far on finding anyone wanting to help. I ran into one of the other Espada though. Dor...Don...I can't remember. He kept calling me ' _niño_ '."

Nel hid a small smirk at the petulant tone Shin was using. "Dordoni?"

"Yeah, him. He wouldn't shut up."

"Yes, that sounds like him," she nodded in thought. "But it's fairly rare to see any Espada out and around like that. Were you looking for them specifically?"

"Nope. Apparently he came out of his area to see why everyone else was so scared of me."

Nel assumed a shocked expression; he wasn't fooled.

"He said I looked like a demon."

At that precise moment, Pesche walked into the room looking rather chipper. "Now why would he say that? How rude."

Shin tossed a cup at the arrancar, who easily caught and set it on a nearby table with a smooth motion and a wink from one amber eye.

"Well he isn't particularly wrong, is he?" Nel said, giving her lanky friend a smile as he sat. "You do look rather..."

"Intimidating? Fearsome? Savage?" Pesche offered.

Shin shot the man a look, one that only earned him another quick wink.

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair. "My point is that I didn't have any luck. Dordoni wouldn't give me a straight answer, I ended up leaving as he was winding into some speech."

"Any other possibilities?"

"Well, maybe that big one I put through the wall earlier. But he was annoying enough already."

Peshe rubbed his chin for a moment before raising one finger in question. "Four legs, clubbed tail, impressively cocky?"

"Bingo."

"Aha. I believe that would have been Yammy...you know I can't seem to remember his last name? It was something difficult to pronounce."

Nel shook her head at their levity, motioning for Shin to go on. He listed off the more noticeable people he'd met or heard of throughout the day, trading comments with the other two as he did.

"I heard about one insect guy, blades for arms?"

"He died several months ago, got caught by a group of shinigami while out on a raid."

"Well, what about that weird tentacle...thing? Luppi?"

"After my training, he wouldn't last even a minute against you." Nel sniffed haughtily, giving Shin the impression she wasn't terribly fond of the person in question.

Pesche made a thoughtful noise. "There is that other new recruit. He arrived not too long before you did with a group of other adjucha in tow, like he was their leader. While not a vasto yet, he's a cut above the rest."

"That cat guy? Yeah, I met him, for about five seconds. He told me to piss off, just...not as nicely as that."

"You call that nice?"

"Compared with what he actually said?" Shin barked out a laugh. The corners of Nel's lips rose in a sad sort of smile.

"You can't expect pleasantries and kind words from every hollow you meet. That's just not our way, you know that."

"What, so we're all just tolerating each other for now?" For some reason he couldn't place, the thought bothered him more than he wanted to admit. For all his aggression or particular disinterest in socializing, having allies was...nice. Simply abandoning that whenever their so-called leader was done with them seemed pointless.

Nel noticed his darkening mood, rising out of her seat. "In any case, you should get some rest. You've only been looking for one day. You should relax."

"I don't do _relaxed_."

She tossed a grin his way. "Yes, I'd noticed. You should try it sometime."

\--

Much could be said for the titanic size of Las Noches, its long halls and cavernous rooms evidence enough that it was meant to house a truly incredible amount of people. What was not normally realized was that it was constructed in the fashion of castles of old: large, open, yet subtly confusing in design. It was built to harry those foreign to the interior, both in entering or leaving. It took time for any being to learn the nuances of navigating this labyrinth.

"Son of a bitch," Shin swore, stomping away from yet another dead end.

 _Why do I get the feeling that I was never very good at finding my way around?_

Shin had been wandering for hours, more keeping to his own thoughts than asking around this time. Unfortunately, it had placed him in what seemed to be a remote section of Las Noches, a warren of hallways and rooms that seemed to be abandoned. And he couldn't find his way back.

"I'll eventually find the way I came from, this place isn't actually endless."

An hour passed.

"I'll only turn left," he muttered. "I can't possibly stay lost forever if I only turn left."

A second.

"It would help..." he growled to himself, voice echoing through the passage he was jogging through, "...if everything wasn't _god-damned white_."

He was deeply considering what Nel would do to him if he just blasted a hole through to the outside, when the echo of footsteps drew him around a final corner, into a wide hallway filled with hollows. All chatter died in the area died out immediately.

 _Well, that was sudden._ Shin turned slowly, trying to recognize where he was, noting the flinching and fearful looks his gaze still caused. Nel's previous words came back in a flash, and he paused before simply barking out orders.

 _Relax._

"Uh...hi."

\--

Several surprised exchanges and wary sets of instructions later, and Shin found himself along an entire separate wing of Las Noches. Considering the distance, it was a fairly impressive feat to get so sidetracked in such a short time. Keeping in mind the reason he was out in the first place, he kept an eye out for anyone promising as he made his way back along the outer halls. He passed by many that barely even spared him a glance. It was almost refreshing.

Due to this, he wasn't particularly paying attention as a silhouette approached from behind.

A tap on the shoulder a moment later caused him to spin in surprise, having been absorbed in thought. Shin found himself at a loss for words at the sight of a familiar swaying form.

"...Sung-Sun?"

He was greeted by a distinctly pleased glimmer from one lavender eye as her head lowered down to his height.

"Ah, so you do remember me." The serpentine adjucha coiled her long body down. "I must admit I wasn't sure you would, considering your mental state the last time we spoke."

Shin felt a smile growing behind his mask. "Of course I remember, you're one of the only reasons I'm still sane. Thanks for the advice."

"My pleasure," she said graciously, tilting her spade-like head down in that odd smile of hers. "And thank you for making it alive and not disappointing me. Though I have heard some rather shocking rumors since your arrival..."

Shin grimaced, shifting slighty, but her keen eyes missed nothing.

"There were...circumstances."

"I'm sure the guard at the southern gate learned a valuable lesson from your treatment."

"That was-"

"And I have heard the tales of the seventh Espada being rather grating at times. Especially considering your first meeting with him, no?"

"Well, I-"

"Yes, when you trample over anyone in your path, you certainly do create quite the terrible reputation, wouldn't you say?"

Shin crossed his arms grumpily. "Okay, I get it. Are you done?"

A silent, smiling nod was his response.

"Anyways, it's not like I wanted to cause any rumors, and I'm not doing anything to make it worse. I don't need any more complications."

"Hmm? Then just yesterday..."

He threw his hands up in exasperation as she laughed softly. "Word travels fast in Las Noches. Though to your credit, the other hollow in question is quite known for causing trouble."

His surprised expression made it past the mask enough to prompt another laugh. "Not everyone here is terrified of you. Just most, from what I've heard. And I've heard worse."

"Flattering, thanks."

"I'm being quite serious. You should have been here when the _primera_ first arrived. He barely does anything, yet some have died from the reiatsu he emits. There is always quite a stir when he ventures out."

Conceding the point, he cast a curious eye back her way. "What about you? If I remember right, you mentioned that you don't stay here that much."

"Why yes, we were planning to stay at least a few days, unless new orders arrive in that time. Which, actually, they have not in quite some time." Sung-Sun hummed in thought for a moment.

"Your...master," Shin began, making her swing back around. "She's a vasto lorde, right?"

He received an obvious stare for the question, sensing his leading tone.

"Well...I want to ask for a favor."

\--

"Get out. GET OUT, YOU FOOLS!"

The Espada's scream sent his fracción scrambling away in a frenzy, modified bodies twisting and turning in unnatural ways. Normally, he might enjoy such a spectacle.

But not now.

Szayaleporro tapped away at his instruments at a feverish pace, hands strained to a painful level. But he couldn't stop. How could he, when such uniquely interesting data was presented to him on a silver platter?

The man muttered to himself constantly, bloodshot eyes fixed on the displays he was currently occupied with. He had not rested in days. Not since that hollow had entered his domain, filling his mind with little else. He could not remember the last time an experiment brought him such joy, the last time he found something truly new and exciting. The exultation of discovery was...intoxicating.

Entering one last command to the machine, he darted across to another screen, waiting as it hummed to life, showing the readings he had been longing for.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhh..." An ecstatic moan echoed in the otherwise silent chamber. Bringing himself back to a modicum of composure, he smoothed the front of his clothes, straightened his glasses, and leaned back in. An eerie smile danced over his lips.

"Now..." He murmered softly, one long finger caressing the side of his face, "...what exactly is a hollow doing with both Shinigami and Quincy genes?"


	8. Chapter 8: Fragmentation

-Forenote-

So I could describe to you all why this took so long, but let's just forego that and get to the real reasons why: life happens and my sense of time sucks.

With that, I will say that these long delays are not going to be a habit. Also, that I am back into the routine of checking my messages much more often, so for the record you are welcome to send me a PM whenever. In fact, please do. Getting more direct opinions would be nice.

Enjoy!

-Forenote end-

Chapter 8: Fragmentation

The sprawling structure of Las Noches had stood as long as most could remember, it's breathtakingly large size also marking it as one of the only true landmarks amid the ever-shifting sands. Regardless of its original intent, various hollows had ventured within over the ages. Whether for safety, curiosity, or simple hunger, the titanic palace had born witness to countless incursions and conflicts alike.

The most recent occupation had brought in more hollows than any before, and in a surprisingly calm fashion. No war broke out, though the occasional scuffle was to be expected by all. For the most part, many kept to themselves; biding their time and gathering strength until their erstwhile masters ordered them otherwise. Their inherent nature and reticience made large gatherings exceedingly uncommon. Only a command from one of their superiors, the Espada, could garner more than a passing interest in anything at any given time.

Until recently.

 **\--Las Noches, within the dome--**

"I think there are more today."

Harribel raised one delicate eyebrow at his comment, taking a cursory glance up and around. "I believe so."

They were facing off in the middle of a wide, flat expanse of desert within Las Noches - in almost blinding sunlight. The other vasto lorde had suggested the location instead of journeying out into the wastes. Shin, at first, had hardly believed they were still in the same dimension.

If the structure of Las Noches appeared colossal from the outside, the open interior defied imagination. The surrounding wall arced ever so slowly inward, but still the opposite side wasn't even visible to the naked eye, pale white structures and rock formations jutting up at random. Eye-wateringly bright sunlight bathed the entire area in a warm glow, natural heat distorting the visible landmarks in hazy waves. To complete the illusion the ceiling, still hundreds of feet up, appeared as the perfect hue of a blue sky, resplendent with puffy white clouds. Shin still couldn't tell if they were moving, but the sky never appeared to be exactly the same whenever he looked. After taking in the scenery for a time, they finally found a suitable location surrounded by a ring of tall, slanted stone pillars to hopefully prevent anything from damaging the walls, even miles away.

Their first bout went exceptionally well for both, and they had agreed to meet every so often at the same location, Sung-Sun only too happy acting as the messenger.

It was after their third meeting that several other hollows begun to follow as well, watching from perches on the rocks above without a word. The next, another group appeared. And more after that. Now, as Shin strode in to where Harribel was casually waiting, he could see dozens of hollows of various shapes and sizes leaping up to get better angles on the action.

Shin glanced back to his sparring partner who had started to stretch, raising her massive bladed arm with apparent ease, rotating her joints in preparation. Shin rolled his shoulders as well, loosening up as much as possible while casting another look her way.

Tier Harribel was an enigma. Sheathed in blue and white plates of armor, the only outward sign of individuality a wild shock of blond hair and piercing cerulean eyes, and that gaze hardly ever changed. Her mask, such as it was, covered the entirety of her face below dark-skinned cheekbones, and revealed nothing more. Coupled with a thick finned tail emanating from her lower back and the sleek tooth-like blade on her arm, she always cut a very unique figure wherever she went. Her demeanor alone put her apart from the rest, never seeming to show any sort of emotion. She approached any endeavor calmly, logically, and without any sign of concern. Due to this, he was quite pleased to finally find an end to his search.

Surprising, considering her initial refusal.

Instead of turning him down and simply walking away as some had, she had inclined her head and waited for Shin to explain his intentions. Once he had, she had taken only a minute to consider before suggesting the interior of the city for a good location. He had been surprised enough for it to show, to which she responded with a single sentence:

 _"Self-improvement is always a worthy goal."_

Quickly after, Shin could tell the woman meant that honestly. Their early matches ended rather quickly, his proficiency with sonido managing to keep her off balance most of the time; now he was hard pressed to find an opening that wasn't a trap. And if anyone might think she was the only one improving, they would be gravely mistaken. His reputation was growing at a rapid pace, not only because of his more frequent outings, but due to the amount of eyewitnesses. Even for those who hadn't yet cared to watch themselves, whispers of his training regimen had reached every corner of the city. Two powerful beings in a place like this regularly showing off their prowess brought a lot of attention.

Seeing that the last few stragglers had hopped up to their respective places, Shin swung his arms back forwards, assuming a low stance as Harribel calmly raised her blade in readiness. He felt the familiar adrenaline begin to burn, a savage grin spreading.

"Best part of my day..."

\--

On the sidelines, Sung-Sun and her two compatriots watched as the two opponents clashed with a thunderous noise, dust flying up from the impact. One, appearing as a large horned deer, shivered in response to the sensation.

"Tch...they really don't hold back, do they?" She griped, looking sideways to see a similarly uncomfortable glimmer in the eyes of the lion-like adjucha - only for it to disappear an instant later, a brash laugh bursting out.

"What's this? Are you scared, Apacci?"

"Shut it, Mila Rose! I can see you shivering!"

"Hah! You would say that, but I can see _you_ shaking."

"You wanna go, you fat cow?!"

"Bring it, horned bitch!"

"...Would you two cease your inane bickering? I'm trying to watch."

" _Shut up, Sung-Sun!_ "

Sung-Sun dipped her head in a sly smirk at their perfectly chorused shout, taking satisfaction in deflating the spat. All three jumped in surprise as another loud clang from the battle echoed around the arena. They watched as Shin blinked around the slower Harribel with repeated sonido, having to leap away a second later as her weapon swept around, carving a deep furrow in the sand.

Apacci snorted, eyes narrowing slightly. "I still don't trust this guy."

"We still don't really know what he's after," Mila Rose agreed reluctantly, blinking at an impressive show of acrobatics as the horned vasto cartwheeled away from another swipe, bright orange hair swinging wildly.

Sung-Sun frowned. "Of course we do. He quite clearly said so when he met with lady Harribel."

"And you believe him? Just like that?"

"Yes."

The simple answer elicited doubting looks from both, which she ignored with practiced ease. Apacci shook her antlered visage. "You know, when you said you'd uh... _found yourself a man_ on our last outing, this isn't exactly what I imagined."

"Oh?"

"He's scary as hell," she said bluntly, Mila Rose nodding in agreement.

"He already killed an arrancar on his own..."

"And I heard that he got into a fight with Nnoitra his first day here..."

"Yeah, the fact that he's even alive after that is freaky enough-"

A chorus of surprised shouts from the surrounding audience brought their attention back to the fight, just in time to see a long gash across Shins torso twist and heal as he leapt out and away, Harribel doggedly stabbing at his heels.

"...Okay, maybe not. But still!" Apacci struck the sand with one hoof in agitation. Sung-Sun simply watched the ongoing battle passively.

"You would be right in most cases," she said slowly. "Many in Las Noches cannot be trusted in any regard."

"I'm hearing a 'but' in this."

Sung-Sun leveled an annoyed eye towards her snickering companions before resuming. "But I do not believe there is any sort of deception involved with Shin. His reasons are his own, but what he shows on the outside is genuine, despite his appearance. He has nothing to hide."

The other two traded another look - which she again ignored.

"I suggest you take Lady Harribel's words to heart in this," Sung-Sun murmured, pale eyes once again fixed on the battle. "No matter your personal feelings, we would all do well to learn something from this opportunity."

After a quiet moment she turned back with a wry glint in her eyes. "Besides, it's not as if we have anything else to do."

Sung-Sun held back a laugh at their resigned grumbling as she coiled herself into a more comfortable position. Another loud clang rang out, followed by excited shouting from the audience.

 _Hollow spectator sports_...

She made a satisfied hum and sank down into the sand, making full use of the warm sunlight streaming down as only a reptile could. The other two adjuchas bickering made for pleasantly pointless background noise amid the various loud sounds as she kept one attentive eye on the battle, fighting the urge to doze off.

\--

Pesche cocked a brow curiously as Shin stumbled into their communal living room, swaying unsteadily.

"So..." He drawled casually, "Did you manage to find a bottle of alcohol around that I haven't?"

"What? No." Shin settled himself down on a couch gingerly, holding his head and groaning. "Besides, I'm underage...I think."

The arrancar laughed, setting the book he had been flipping through down and swinging around in his seat. "Even if you are, that doesn't exactly matter now. You're dead, remember? Why not have some fun? It's not as if you need to worry about your liver, not anymore." The man sighed a bit, seeing the horned hollow toss him a wry look amid wincing painfully. "So what happened then? I imagine you were at your little sparring arena."

"Harribel managed to smack me in the head with the side of her sword."

"Ouch. Well, good to know that blunt trauma is still effective against high-speed regeneration. Right?" Pesche grinned at the small growl Shin let out. They sat in relative silence for a time, the arrancar back to reading and Shin lost in thought as his head stopped aching. He slipped a sideways look at the other man, a rare moment of insight dawning.

"...Where are you from?"

The odd question had Pesche turning with one curious eyebrow raised. Shin shrugged awkwardly. "Well it kinda just came to me, you all had lives before...this. I'm the only one with nothing."

"You may not know," Pesche said slowly, "but our pasts are not something we like to discuss."

"I get that. I just don't know why."

The room took on a distinct chill as the pale arrancars features tightened ever so slightly, eyes focused on some distant point. He began to speak softly, slowly, in a grave tone Shin had never heard from him before.

"We were all once alive. Human. With families, jobs, responsibilities. What do you think happens when someone dies?"

"I..." Shin realized he had no answer. The other man didn't seem very surprised.

"In most cases, the soul of that person moves on to the Soul Society. No mess, no confusion. And of course, those who were sinners in life are sent to Hell."

Headache fully gone, Shin leaned forward in his seat, fixated. Pesche seemed to take the motion as shock, a humorless smile cracking a path across his face. "Yes, this isn't the worst of it. Not by a longshot if the rumors are to be believed. Regardless, that's where all the souls go. Except for us." He paused to take a long drink from a nearby cup, setting it back down with a loud thud, a small crack splintering up one side. He looked at it carelessly before resuming.

"Some souls have attachments to the human world. Strong emotions or concepts that keep them tethered. Many simply pass on by themselves over time, and others are found by the Shinigami, and given what is known as a soul burial. With that, they pass on peacefully." At the look in Shins yellow eyes he chuckled. "They're not called death gods for nothing. That's one of their primary tasks." The light-hearted moment passed, Pesche crossing his arms.

"The problem lies with the souls that don't pass on through either method. Those who are held to the mortal realm by their darker emotions. Sorrow, greed...rage." He sent a thoughtful glance at Shin. "Over time, as that eats away at the consciousness of the person in question, they begin to change. In the end, if they don't come to terms or are given a soul burial, they eventually turn into a hollow and go on trying to fill that void in their souls with something more."

Shin let out a long breath. "So then all the ones that linger..."

"They didn't have the best experiences in life, so to say." Pesche adopted an almost pitying expression as he looked over. "Many here might envy the fact that you don't remember anything."

"Oh, well, thanks for the pep talk," Shin said, voice dripping with sarcasm. The man simply shrugged.

They both fell into an uncomfortable silence, Shin mulling over the thought as much as he could. As much as he might like to think otherwise, the possibility remained that he might be better off without any memory of his life. Sneaking a glance at Pesche again, he vividly remembered he cold aura the man had given off at the mention of his own life.

Abruptly Pesche sat up straighter, smacking one hand to his forehead. "Oh that's right, that's why Nel is taking so long."

Shin stared, amazed at how fast the dark mood had vanished. Pesche caught his expression a moment later.

"She was rounding up a group of adjucha to make a run to the human world. Orders and all that," he explained, not seeming to notice Shin perking up at the words.

"...Where at?"

The arrancar rubbed his eyes. "I think it was the southern gate, though I'm not sure when..." He trailed off, a sly smile emerging as he opened his eyes to see the room empty.

Whistling merrily, he almost skipped out the door.

\--

"Your instructions are as per usual. Make it quick, don't cause any trouble, and if you see any Soul Reapers, you head the other direction. You are not to-"

Nel stopped her speech at the rustling from the assembled hollows, following their looks to see Shin darting their direction. She sighed, feeling a pit form in her stomach as he landed nearby, walking up eagerly.

"No."

Shin paused, mouth open to speak, confusion apparent in his eyes. Nel massaged one of her temples wearily. "I know why you're here, and no. We are not sending anyone above adjuchas to the human world."

"But Nel, I-"

"But nothing."

"You know I don't need to feed, I'm only going to-"

"I know exactly why. My answer is still no."

Shin stepped closer, voice hushed. "Nel, please. I'll just be there as insurance. I can make sure every single one of them makes it back without any issues. All I want is to look around while they do their thing. You know that."

Her green eyes narrowed dangerously and he recoiled. She was about to send him home when another voice interrupted.

"Have you even fought a Shinigami before?"

They both swiveled to look at the adjucha that had spoken, a large specimen with massive bull horns spiking forwards. He shifted under Nel's annoyed scrutiny in particular, but remained impressively calm.

"Not yet," Shin said carefully, glancing sideways at the fuming Espada.

"...I bet he could though," said another. Several hollows nodded at that.

"Yeah, have you seen him in action with that shark chick?"

"He's real good in a fight."

More and more of the adjucha began to murmur and whisper, and anyone that cared to look could see it getting to Nel as she folded her arms moodily and fixed Shin with a knife-sharp stare. After a minute of this she held one hand up, silencing the talk immediately. Letting out a long-suffering breath, she began to speak in a carefully measured tone.

"You will only supervise. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

His instant response brought the shadow of a smile across her lips as she continued.

"If anyone here causes a large disturbance, you are fully authorized to use whatever means you see fit to stop it and bring them back. If possible."

"Right."

"If you find whatever you are looking for, you are to wait until all here have returned and report to me first."

"...Right." The pause earned him a stern expression.

"And lastly, if you encounter any Shinigami, you will put avoidance over everything." She directed this at the entire group, getting affirmation from most. "You, Shin, will not engage if at all possible. But if you do...you are to eliminate them. Do not let any of them see you clearly and live. Am I understood?"

Shin nodded, knowing her meaning. From all the talk around Las Noches, the enemy was not to know their strength. Let them think the hollows scattered and unorganized. The sighting of a vasto lorde at the head of a large group would raise a certain amount of suspicion.

Nel stared him down for another minute before sighing dramatically. "Don't make me regret this. Please."

She made an odd gesture with one hand out towards the desert. Shin stared as the world appeared to twist and splinter, finally wrenching open in segments to reveal a dark, swirling abyss.

"Follow the _garganta_ to the light, it will take you to where you need to go."

Various hollows began jumping into the crevice, falling down and away rapidly. Nel turned her back to it, giving Shin one last searching look. "Go, before I change my mind."

She watched him vanish into the garganta with the last of the group before waving the entryway shut. Quiet steps in the sand nearby had her turning with a distinctly unpleasant expression.

"Apologies, my lady," Pesche said, bowing formally. "I tried to persuade him otherwise."

He remained bent over to hide his smile as Nel favored him with a rude snort, and watched in mild disbelief as she began pacing in the sand, gnawing away at a fingernail and muttering nervously. "I just let an unpredictable amnesiac wild into the human world. What am I doing?"

"I believe he would have gone regardless. Only now, he has something to keep him focused. He'll be fine."

"Oh, you say that." She stopped, staring down at the sand oddly. "Do you think I'm going to hell for this?"

His incredulous laughter and a subsequent loud slap rang out.

 **\--Soul Society, the Seireitei--**

The brilliant white spires of the Soul Reaper city took on a warm cast with the coming night, awash in a brilliant orange glow. Beyond its edges the sprawling expanse of wooden structures and forests that made up the surrounding residential districts could be seen extending off as far as the eye could see. Black-robed Shinigami could be seen dotted throughout the streets, going about their myriad duties and tasks. At the base of a massive sheer rock cliff one tiny form traced it's way along one side slowly, then made it's way back around. And again.

Lieutenant Momo Hinamori continued circling, wringing her hands unconsciously, eyes darting around. Several times she murmured a soft incantation, hands gesturing and lighting up. When nothing showed itself, she frowned slightly and moved on. Around and around she went, all attention absorbed by her search.

"Oi."

She started violently, letting out a strangled squeal as she spun, arms flailing in panic, turning to see a tall red-haired man grinning down.

"Renji!" She hunched down on her knees, heart beating wildly out of control. "You know I don't like it when you sneak up on me!"

The angular tattoos across the mans ponytailed head and forearms gave off an aggressive cast, while the widening grin served to contradict that look - but only a little.

"You weren't listening, not my fault you didn't hear me. What are you even doing over here? Spacing out again?"

Momo pouted indignantly. "No, I wasn't! I sensed some strange sort of barrier spell in the area, but I can't feel it anymore..."

Renji swiveled around for a moment. "I don't feel anything," he said carelessly.

"Well of course you wouldn't," she muttered under her breath, "you've always been terrible with _kido_."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, nothing!" She stood, brushing off the front of her uniform as Renji threw her a suspicious look and began walking away with long, loping strides. Taking one last cursory glance around the area, she made to start away as well, only for her gaze to be drawn to one detail that made her pause.

Renji, almost around the nearest corner, glanced back to see Momo approaching with watery eyes and flinched. "What happened to you?!"

She sniffed rather sadly. "There was a black cat sitting there, and I went to try and pet it, but it just ignored me..."

"You are such a crybaby."

The sound of her heated reply and his teasing faded into the distance as the aforementioned feline leapt up onto a high wall nearby, amber eyes watchful. It seemed to scrutinize the cliffside above for a moment, dipping its head into a very human nod shortly after.

With a blur, it was gone.

 **\--The Human World--**

Shin held perfectly still as large snowflakes began to drift down, the faintest of winds sending a cold shiver down the back of his neck. He stared down from the mountainside he was perched on, overlooking a town built along the wide banks of a slow and winding silt-filled river. Columns of steam and smoke from chimneys rose from houses across all the visible valley, some hidden by thick swathes of pine trees slowly turning into dark outlines as daylight faded.

The rest of the hollows had long since gone their own ways, seeking out their prey wherever they might find it. Shin had remained behind as the rallying point, taking the chance to look for anything familiar, but...

Nothing.

Not the town, not the people, not the buildings or the surroundings, not even the language.

 _Not the slightest hint of anything I knew before._

Shin felt an empty pit in his stomach throb, the odds against finding even the most insignificant detail that he would know finally hitting home hard enough to rattle him to his core.

He began to shake, simultaneous rage, confusion, and despair seeping through the facade he had been so carefully maintaining. Any wildlife hidden in the dark underbrush nearby scattered in panic as he let out a savage growl, fists clenching and unclenching as he tried to fight the urge to just...let it all go.

 _I won't. I can't._ _I'm better than that_

He froze as an insidious whisper emanated from some dark crevice of his mind:

 _You're wrong._

\--

The people that live in the northern regions of the world are no strangers to the wildlife that share the world around them. Most were used to hearing the sounds of packs of wolves at night, regularly howling to the moon and the shimmering aurora in the sky. But those sensitive to the other side of the veil, knowingly or otherwise, heard a strange and haunting addition to the chorus one night, an odd echoing cry. Some said it sounded like a rabid animal, something not natural to the boreal forests. But among those that had heard it, there was one detail they all agreed on:

They were the sounds of something in incredible pain.


	9. Chapter 9

_Its funny, I'll be starting on a new chapter shortly after I release the latest one, thinking: "I'm going to get this next chapter out nice and quick, I can work on it a ton in the next couple weeks!". Then, one month later when I still only have half of it worked out, I think: "Where did the time go and how?". Which, I think we can all agree, is becoming a regular thing. I don't really want that. But hey, my process is slow._

 _And_ _with that, I'd like to thank everyone who sticks with me even if my releases take a while. And if the chapters aren't that long anyways._

 _On_ _another note: you know what's really hard? Coming up with names for…well, pretty much anything. Like, say, chapter titles. So I am officially going to stop naming each one, because that takes a while and I'm super picky about them and it sucks. Plus the naming convention I had for them felt dumb after a while._

 _Also_ _, slight format changes for my chapters. It works for other fics I've read, and there's no reason why I shouldn't learn from those. It makes things more simple._

 _ALSO_ _. In the manga the capitalization isn't really shown at all because the font they always use is neutral. That doesn't work for this, so I've been training myself to use titles and such as they should be. Looked weird for a bit until I got used to it, but I think it's a nice consistency update._

 _Did_ _I mention I'm a perfectionist?_

 _Anyways. Thank you again. Enjoy_ _!_

 **Chapter 9**

The notice of the returning expedition came sooner than expected. It wasn't unknown for patrols to return both earlier or later than planned, but the suddenness of the return was unusual; no message, no sign, nothing except for the sudden formation of a garganta outside the gate of Las Noches. It wrenched open a ragged gap in the horizon, much to the surprise of the sentries stationed there and causing shouts of alarm as hazy outlines appeared in the crevice, rapidly approaching.

They lowered their guard a moment later at the sight of several dozen Adjucha charging out into the moonlight in a rush, many stopping a cautious distance away, casting wary looks back as one final silhouette appeared.

Nel landed nearby just as Shin stepped out onto the sand. After a quick look around at the surrounding Hollows she moved closer, scrutinizing her charge. He stood stock-still, the only movement visible a muscle twitching oddly in his neck. Her eyes widened as she heard ragged breathing echoing from under his mask.

"Shin?"

She had to fight the urge to step back as his head snapped around to face her with startling abruptness. The black sclera of his eyes was visibly shot through with red, and the yellow of his irises had taken on an unhealthy tinge. He gazed at her for a tense moment before the visible area around his eyes relaxed ever so slightly. "…Nel."

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding at the tone of recognition and smiled gently, still not sure if he was entirely himself. The fact that his voice was once again taking on that double-layered echo after it had finally faded away several months ago didn't escape her.

"It looks like everyone made it back in one piece. Good work."

Shin blinked, head swiveling to take in the crowd still staring his way, nodding jerkily. Nel glanced over to the bull-horned Adjucha that had returned with the group, motioning him over.

"What happened?" Nel asked as softly as possible, keeping one eye on Shin, who seemed transfixed by the slowly waning sliver of the moon above. The Adjucha shook its head ponderously, rumbling voice managing to be just as quiet.

"Nobody knows. We arrived on time, went our separate ways with him as the rallying point, then suddenly there was this massive…wave of power." At this, he nodded Shins way. "Nothing was destroyed, but most of the humans in the town passed out immediately. It, well-" The Adjucha paused, lost for words. "It definitely didn't feel right."

"Right?"

To her immense surprise, he shook his large shoulders uncomfortably. "It felt like a Hollows reiatsu, sure, but there was something more to it. Like there was something else mixed in, I couldn't place it. And when we did feel brave enough to get any closer he was just standing there radiating energy like a goddamned reactor."

Nel frowned. "Anything else?"

The Adjucha snorted heavily. "Oh, that's not even the half of it. The energy coming off of him? I've seen him fighting that Harribel lady, I know it's red. This was bright blue. Oh, and there were these weird black…bolts mixed in. They were frying anything nearby when they sparked off him. Didn't look like they felt very good either."

At the confused look Nel gave him, he shrugged one large shoulder towards the horned Vasto. "They weren't just lashing out at random. They were hitting _him_ too."

Nel tensed in shock.

"I'm gonna guess that's not normal."

"No," she murmured, lost in contemplation. She'd never even heard of anything like this happening to any type of being, spiritual or otherwise. She vividly remembered the fight between Shin and Nnoitra when he had first arrived, and that final cero he had managed to release; the energy had been crackling with black strings of power, and had been strong enough to singe her some when she had swallowed it. But what had caused them to appear?

The Adjucha paused for a minute before continuing. "After a while he finally calmed down, the fireworks show stopped, and he opened the _garganta_ without a word. Waited for us to all get through before he moved another inch. I guess your instructions from before made at least some impact."

 _Thank the gods for small miracles._

"You're dismissed, all of you." The big Hollow, and at the same time the rest that had been unabashedly listening in, nodded and made their way inside Las Noches. Shin remained still as death until the last one had moved out of sight, his sickly gaze drifting over the enormous structure with a trace of confusion. A sudden sense of foreboding hit Nel in the pit of her stomach, causing her to step forwards slowly.

"Shin, do you know where we are?"

His horned head tilted oddly to one side at the question, taking a long minute before he spoke.

"Of course. Las Noches. I've been here for centuries…"

She felt relieved until the last half registered, the words chilling her to the core. She watched in a sort of detached horror as he began to sway unsteadily, fingers gesturing at random places as he spouted out rambling sentences that ran together and things that made little to no sense.

"…That's where the true watchtowers used to be, what a sight they were…ah, but that was when the palace was but in it's infancy…and now look at the mess it's become…this is what you get, you old fool…"

"Shin!"

He stopped, not even looking at her, head lolling side to side to some unknown rhythm.

"What an odd name...it's not mine, is it? Or…no, no, no no no it couldn't be...it was…was…who am…I?"

He devolved into muttered words and eerie laughter, made only more manic-sounding by the strange echoing timbre that she could hear shifting by the second. Much to her alarm, he began to glow as his reiatsu erupted out, wreathing him in a red and yellow haze tinged with waves of blue and the odd streaks of black. They writhed along his shaking form, some snapping off at the surrounding desert. Several rent the air with loud cracks, lashing back and leaving scorch marks wherever they struck. Shin roared in a mix of pain and fury, falling to one knee and clutching his head, babbling out a string of incomprehensible words as the amount of reiatsu increased by the second.

Nel tried several times to get close, to either try to calm him down or failing that knock him unconscious, but the flailing whips of energy smacked her back with incredible force each time. The pressure and heat alone blasting out sent the wind billowing in all directions, rendering the area into a virtual sandstorm until she could only see his outline through the chaotic haze.

Nel grit her teeth after another failed attempt, wrenching her blade out angrily. If she couldn't get close with speed...

She didn't get a chance to test it either way as the storm surrounding him vanished with a loud crack, leaving the area in startling silence; a second later he thudded to the ground, comatose. Behind him stood the eighth Espada, an empty syringe in one thin hand and the usual expression of casual disdain on his features. He gave the prone body one last glance before tossing the needle away carelessly, light glinting coldly off the lenses of his spectacles. "That was dramatic."

\--

Nel set Shin down gingerly, careful not to jolt him awake no matter how much their 'good doctor' might assure her it was impossible for the time being. _Impossible_ wasn't something that had applied to this particular Hollow yet.

She heaved a long sigh, stepping back and rubbing her forehead. Somewhere in her mind she was simultaneously amazed and appalled that something in the world had managed to cause more headaches for her than her two fracción ever had.

That thought kept rolling around in her mind, having some difficulty really sinking in, when Szayelaporro strode around a set of bulky machines dominating the room. He took one look at Shin still passed out, made a single crisp nod, and hit a tiny button to the side; dozens of metal bands shot out of the table, wrapping around each limb and binding him fast.

"Hey!"

He raised one thin pink brow at her exclamation. "What? Would you like to risk him getting free if he wakes suddenly?"

Nel opened and closed her mouth several times, struggling for an answer. At the knowing smirk the man grew she crossed her arms grumpily. "I thought you said that was impossible."

"There is no such thing to a scientist," he admonished playfully, wagging a finger at her. The only time she had seen him this cheerful was in the cases where he had some horrendously grisly - if effective - experiment going on. She was going to have to keep a close watch.

After suspiciously eyeing several final bonds as they securely wound themselves around Shins horns, Nel resigned herself to sit nearby, keeping one eye on the Espada as he tinkered around the table. Her mind began to wander some as the minutes passed, mulling over details, trying to see the bigger picture...when it all suddenly made sense.

"What's happening to him?"

Szayelaporro turned his head briefly from his work at the question. "Well, I don't know. That's what I'm working to-"

"Don't lie to me."

The room went deathly quiet as he moved to meet her stare. A long pause later and one side of the man's mouth drew upwards. "Don't ever let anyone say that you are only a pretty face, Nelliel."

Nel held herself back from rising to the taunt. She had finally realized what had been nagging at her mind since Shin had almost spontaneously combusted: she, with all her skills or power, hadn't managed to get within ten feet. Yet Szayelaporro had. Seemingly without effort. The final realization made her lip curl up and she let out an unconscious growl.

The scientist muttered something under his breath that sounded vaguely like 'mother bear', sighing theatrically and tapping the machine in front of him into humming life. "Very well. Ask away, if you must."

Nel squinted curiously as a long mechanical arm swung out over Shin, a diode on the end sending delicate motes of white light down in pulsing waves. "Again: what's happening?"

"Hmph. Isn't that obvious? His soul is attacking itself."

She blinked slowly. Several times. "Oh, yes. Silly me, of course that's what it was."

"Dry sarcasm does not become you." A rapid staccato of keys and the particles became a sky blue, bathing the room the same color. "Are you trying to tell me that you haven't been able to sense the different kinds of reiatsu shooting off this boy?" Her confused look made him groan in disbelief. "And here I thought your _pesquisa_ was quite acute."

He made a elegant display of hitting another set of keys, the particles changing to a lurid shade of yellow, shot through with black. He frowned at it before sending another command though, the light shifting slowly towards a lighter tone, eliciting a satisfied nod.

"In that case, I'm starting at the beginning. That is what you want, hmm?"

"Just…get on with it. And for my sanity, keep the theatrics to a minimum."

"You have no appreciation for drama." He took a seat across from her own, reclining casually. "I'll have you know that I wouldn't be explaining anything at all if I wasn't getting such interesting data out of all this."

"Lucky me," she growled. Szayelaporro took that as his cue, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"So. You have now witnessed his power becoming fully unstable. Do you know why?"

"I have my thoughts on it, but I'm going to assume yours are more informed."

"Rightly so." The all too familiar smirk grew on his lips once again. "But all the same, humor me. If I remember correctly, the first instance of anything truly unusual - besides the total amnesia - was his initial conflict with Nnoitra Gilga. Can you imagine what was different?"

Nel furrowed her brow, thinking. "He was exhausted. At the end of his rope. The fight with Nnoitra had taken all he had…last I saw, he was practically out of reiatsu before he managed to release that last _cero_."

Szayelaporro grinned, appearing nearly giddy with excitement. "Yes, out of power. That's just it, isn't it? He was almost entirely depleted…of _Hollow_ reiatsu."

"I don't follow."

"Nelliel, please. You're practically killing me." He held one finger up, stopping her retort prematurely. "Meaningless threats aside. Have you never wondered why exactly he is so powerful with his current state? He has no memory. No real drive, nothing but raw emotion. Which, let's be honest, is more than enough for most Hollows. But that much power? That much raw potential, from an empty shell? No. That doesn't explain it. Do you know what does?"

"I imagine you're going to tell me."

"Oho, most certainly. But I want to _savor_ this moment of revelation." He sprung out of his seat, dashing to the controls for the device still radiating light down on Shin. With a complex command two more arms extended out to join the first, each diode on the end beginning to glow.

"So! What would explain the sheer power that comes out of this boy? What does he have that I believe no other Hollow ever has? What, that would theoretically raise the bar for what is possible for a single being?"

Nel shook her head in confusion, standing slowly as the three arms began to move together, drawing synchronized patterns in the air, the motes of light - she realized with a start it was some kind of reiatsu - turning back to a pale white.

"Thanks to my exam after he first arrived I saw the abnormality early on," the man continued, tapping away at various displays as the machine hummed louder and louder, making the room vibrate. "But even then I could hardly believe my own eyes at first. I was witnessing a literal impossibility. Something that should not and _could not_ exist by natural law. If you wish to laugh at the irony of someone like myself saying such, now is the time."

Somehow she couldn't find it in her to make the joke. The implications of what Szayelaporro was saying were difficult to grasp, and somehow she didn't feel like knowing the specifics was going to help. Determined to nonetheless, and fairly certain this infuriating man wouldn't simply tell her otherwise, she cleared her mind as much as possible, trying to let what she knew fall into place on it's own. She was distracted as one of the diodes above Shin began to emit a deep shade of crimson.

 _The exact same color as..._

Her eyes widened, darting over to see Szayelaporro witness her realization, smirking as he hit another key. The second diode shifted until it was raining a stream of pale yellow like before. Nel reached out with her senses, grasping at both. The red was clearly Hollow energy, and the other…

"It feels like a…Shinigami?"

Szayelaporro clapped his hands together sharply, looking pleased. "Correct."

Nel nodded, thinking. It would certainly make sense, with what she had witnessed herself. For a single soul to naturally have the power from both was no laughing matter; theoretically, such a being would be able to harness either side at will. She frowned after that thought, looking up at Szayelaporro once more. "I don't get it. What would cause his own reiatsu to attack him like that? I can personally think of several cases where a Hollow either consumed or took on Soul Reaper reiatsu and abilities, and nothing like this happened at those times."

The man just pursed his lips to hold back another smile, crossing his white-robed arms smugly. She could almost hear him gloating that she was missing something.

Grumbling, she scanned the room one last time, scouring for some detail she had skimmed over, not knowing what she did now. After several frustrating passes, her eyes fell upon the arms still going around in their dizzying patterns…all three of them. She stopped, staring.

"No..."

Szayelaporro raised his eyebrows in a question, still keeping quiet as she looked at him, having a hard time processing the facts she was being shown.

"He can't have anything else inside his soul, it would be entirely too unstable! He wouldn't have survived this long!"

He scoffed in response, walking back to the monitors on the side of the table once more. "Oh, and you would know that for a fact?" He began to type, sending in a much longer command than the other two. Nel heard a small beep, and the last diode emanating the white particles began to change, very slowly.

"What if I told you," he said, relishing every word as if it were the sweetest treat, "that not only was there a third and entirely separate aspect to his soul, but that it was - again, only theoretically - impossible for it to coexist with his Hollow self?"

She was at a loss. Several long minutes passed as she scoured her own memory, trying to think of any kind of being she had ever encountered that could be causing such a reaction. Finally she shook her head at the other Espada, who appeared rather disappointed. His only response was to pointedly look at the three arms rotating above; the last diode had settled on radiating a shower of pale blue motes, turning the air above Shin into a glimmering storm of color with all three together. She could feel the signature from the blue reiatsu clearly, it was entirely distinct from the other two, but she couldn't place it. The answer escaped her for what felt like an age, Szayelaporro seemingly happy to wait, when she at last had her answer.

But it made no sense.

Nel continued to ponder in silence until the other Espada interrupted in exasperation. "I can tell that you know the answer by now, don't keep me in suspense."

She threw him a nasty look, exhaling a heavy breath she had been holding in. "I don't know how it's possible, but…that's reiatsu from a Quincy."

She watched in an amused sort of stupor as the man grew a demented smile. He smacked his keyboard again, causing two separate arms with the same equipment to descend from the ceiling, pointing at each other. One glowed the familiar red of Shin's energy, the other shining the brilliant blue of a Quincy just after; the instant they met in the air, midnight-black lines of lightning erupted from the point of contact, writhing along the machinery as if sentient.

Nel gasped at the violence of the reaction. She knew the reputation of the ancient bloodline of those empowered humans that called themselves the Quincy; an order unparalleled in their gathering and manipulation of the reishi that comprised all spiritual beings and creations. Their dexterity with the shaping of it was such that they quickly established themselves in the old days as hunters of the supernatural that fed the human race: Hollows. They were known for forming bows and arrows of pure spiritual energy, using their skills with incredible accuracy to annihilate any Hollow they encountered. It was even rumored for many years that they had learned their hunting craft from a certain Mediterranean goddess, but nothing had ever been proven - and nothing probably ever would, considering their extermination at the hands of the Shinigami nearly a thousand years ago.

The two newest arms began to smoke dangerously, and Szayelaporro quickly had them stop and retreat to their compartments. Nel watched them go, thoughtful. "I remember the Quincy and their hatred of Hollows, but I don't understand what causes…" She gestured at the remaining haze in the room with one hand. "…that."

The eighth Espada seemed inordinately pleased at her recollection of the extinct order, taking his seat once again. "You are correct, the Quincy did indeed harbor a hatred for Hollows unmatched by any, even Shinigami. But did you know it was not simple hate, but _fear_ as well?"

At this Nel reared back slightly in her chair, which only made the man grin wider.

"They developed their skills and chose their profession not out of hatred, but out of existential need. For there is one existence in this universe that is anathema to everything that they are as a species."

Seeing where he was leading and lost in the information, Nel murmured the answer before he could say it. "Hollows."

He nodded sagely, assuming a pensive pose with fingers crossed together dramatically. Nel had to hold back from rolling her eyes as he went on.

"Hollows, both physically and spiritually, are as poison to the body and soul of the Quincies. It may have something to do with their increased ability with spiritrons - or 'reishi', as you probably know it - but I was never able to confirm the theory before they were wiped out." He rubbed his chin, looking slightly regretful.

"In any case, that was why they were known almost exclusively for killing Hollows and Hollows alone. A single wound from one of us could fester and begin to destroy a Quincy at the atomic level, even it's soul, within minutes. Interestingly enough, whenever a Quincy did kill a Hollow, it completely erased that soul from the world as well. Isn't that fascinating?"

Nel saw the manic glint in his pale eyes and raised a brow. "If I didn't know better, I would say you sounded sad that they're gone."

"Of course I am! I had so many more experiments planned for their species! It's a pity the last subject I had was only some old man, too…"

Knowing the usual end result of his 'experiments', Nel shook that thought away before it stuck in her head, focusing back on her main concern.

"So then how is Shin even alive? With what you're telling me, he _can't_ exist. Yet here we are." She looked back to the table where the man in question still lay unconscious; she was relieved to see he looked healthier already, the shower of mixed - but somehow still separate - motes of reiatsu still working away.

Szayelaporro followed her gaze. "That is the conundrum. As he has no memory, we cannot glean any clues as to his parentage, and his DNA of his spiritual body here shows all three as well. There's no way to determine what he was in life unless we find his material body, and that is a hopeless venture. Who knows how long he was in a dormant state before awakening as a Menos?"

"Right…let's focus on what is here in front of us. What changed to make him so unstable? He was just a Hollow when I found him."

Nel found herself on the receiving end of a surprisingly genuine smile from her peer as he stood and began to pace. "An excellent question. As you said and as we have seen, he is for the most part a Hollow. The key is his sense of identity. I can only assume his venture into the human world was some sort of shock to him, shattering whatever illusion of 'self' he had been building up during his time in Hueco Mundo."

"His image of himself as a Hollow."

Another pleased smile flew her direction. "Exactly. I assume that as that vanished, the rest of his soul rushed forth to fill the gap, showing the reaction we saw earlier."

One last thing was missing from the equation, but the Espada seemed to see the question coming before she could put it to words.

"As for the overall delirium he was showing, only one thing properly explains that: the souls of those he has absorbed so far."

"How? That's always supposed to stop when a one becomes a Vasto Lorde-"

"-Oh yes, because as we've seen he is just a normal Hollow." He gave her a much less entertained expression than before. "Assume that does not apply."

She felt slightly silly for falling back on given knowledge in this situation, picking absently at a small wrinkle in her clothes as she marshaled her thoughts together.

"So…what you're saying is that residual memories from the souls he took in as a Hollow are rising to the top?"

Szayelaporro adjusted his glasses crisply. "Correct."

"And from what you're implying, the only way to stop that from happening is still to recover his own memory."

"As it was when he first arrived, that is still the solution. Just to a different problem."

"And it's just as impossible to achieve as before. Lovely." Nel groaned as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. As enlightening these discoveries were, the way to fix everything hadn't changed. In the end, Shin needed to find who he had been before anything else.

 _And how the hell is he supposed to search in this state?_

She was left alone with her problems for some time, the other Espada quietly tinkering around the table holding Shin as she mused. Inexplicably, the feeling that she might not always be around to help her young protégé appeared in her gut, and she stood decisively.

"What can you do to fix this in the meantime?"

Szayelaporro turned with one brow raised, regarding her tense stance with some amount of caution. He stared at Shin for a long minute, caressing his chin thoughtfully.

"You know that anything I do will most likely only act as a temporary fix. With how unstable he is, I can make no guarantees."

"I understand."

Szayelaporro suddenly fixed her with a suspicious look. "And what did I do to deserve such trust, Nelliel?"

To his great surprise she smiled; an all-too knowing gesture with too many teeth involved, but a smile nonetheless. "Because now I know that you want to see how this all turns out even more than I do."

The eccentric man made an amused snort, one finger on the bridge of his glasses. "Playing to my weakness, is it? Very well. You have my word, for whatever that counts, that I will do what I can to ensure he lives."

\--

A day later she had Shin back in her tower, still fast asleep. Nel examined the devices that had been affixed to his wrists and ankles for what felt like the hundredth time, still not sure how much she trusted them to keep him sane. Each appeared to be a simple, if thick and bulky, bracelet of some type of ceramic and metal, glistening white and silver and placed just upwards of the strange tufts of crimson fur on each limb. On each she could just see an ornate five-pointed star engraved on one side.

 _"These will keep any trace of his Quincy power suppressed. The hope is that even if he does go out of control, he won't die by his own hand; or soul, as it were. I'm working on another to keep the residual memories in check, but the infusion of his Hollow reiatsu appears to have helped greatly. He should be able to continue the patrols as soon as he is up and about."_

She mulled the words over again, exhaling heavily as she sat. Shin was safe, for the moment. He would even have another Espada keeping tabs on him, just in case. So then why did she still have this sense of foreboding?

\--

"Finally, they're gone."

Szayelaporro glanced around at the sneering voice, seeing Nnoitra stalk into the room, massive Zanpakuto resting on one shoulder.

"What do you want?" He asked brusquely, in no mood to entertain the savage man. He tapped away at the display he stood in front of as the other Espada cackled in his typical manner.

"That's no way to treat an accomplice…"

"Acquaintance."

" _Accomplice_ ," the other barked, sneer twisting into an ugly shape. "With all the time you've been spending with that _bitch_ and her annoying runt, I'm starting to wonder whether you'll keep up our little…deal."

Szayelaporro felt an unusual sensation strike him at the words: worry? Impossible.

 _And yet…_

The events of the past several days flashed through his mind, the fascinating case brought before him, the sheer potential of what it could amount to, and he again experienced that strange feeling.

Raw curiosity.

When had he last known that emotion, truly? In all his long years of sequestering himself in his domain, performing one experiment after another in the search of simple knowledge, when had he last felt that spark of true desire? He knew what Nnoitra wanted, and he had to admit that until very recently he wouldn't have cared a single whit about the third Espada's wellbeing. But now she was tied to something unique, something truly special. Something that he may never witness again.

And he refused to lose the chance.

"Yes, about that," he said carelessly, not bothering to face Nnoitra. "We have a change of plans."

"The hell are you talkin' about?"

"Due to my recent activities, as you pointed out, I can no longer assist in your…vendetta. At least not in the way you might prefer."

He heard a loud thud and the ground shook, finally turning to see the Espada's thin features mangled into a furious expression.

"The _fuck_ you aren't!" Nnoitra growled, leveling the blade towards the smaller man.

Szayelaporro regarded him coldly, shaking his head and snapping his fingers on one hand. With a crack the Zanpakuto crashed to the ground, it's owner following suit a moment later to the accompaniment of another bout of angry swearing. A panel near the ceiling had started to glow, a column of orange light seeming to weigh the air itself down.

"Let me remind you, Nnoitra," he said softly, crouching down, "why you came to me in the first place." He refused to talk any more until Nnoitra grudgingly met his gaze.

"You wish to remove Nelliel from her position. I neither know nor care why. But as I mentioned, I can no longer directly interfere. I am... _involved_ now."

"You bastard...you were involved with my plan before!"

"Were you listening? I said I don't care."

Nnoitra made a show of scoffing incredulously, conveying as much scorn as he could from his position on the floor. "So what, I'm supposed to believe you care about her and the brat?"

"Goodness, no. Do what you like with her. And her two _fracción_. The boy, however, shows potential. The kind of potential that I am fully willing to ensure does not come to any harm. Do you understand me?"

Szayelaporro received only a glower at the question, one that rapidly disappeared as a shining scalpel appeared in the doctors hand.

"…Fine. I won't touch a hair on his little orange head. Happy?"

With another snap the pillar of gravity vanished, the Espada rising to his full height warily. "What about her two idiots?"

Szayelaporro had already begun to stride away as he spoke. "I will at least ensure they are away on a mission of some sort."

The tall Arrancar muttered something darkly as he snatched up his weapon once more and stomped away. Szayelaporro waited until he knew the man was out of his quarters to trigger a full lockdown of the facilities. He was rather exhausted of visitors today. As he moved to take a short rest, a macabre thought appeared in his mind: which of his associates would he bet on to survive the next day?

 **\--Soul Society, Research and Development Division--**

Vice-President Akon padded through the halls of the science division tiredly - or, as some would say, as the members of the Division always did. They were always overworked, whether by the regular duties of their profession or due to their own personal interests. With the lack of sleep the bags under his eyes had grown to impressive levels, scruffy hair appearing even scruffier than usual over the three tiny, asymmetrical horns that protruded from his forehead. He subconsciously rubbed them with one hand as he strode along, taking stock of the day.

 _Hiyosu should be done with his catalogue of the current gigai in for repair…Kuna and Torue were on the Soul Pill tune-ups…and Rin will be asleep by now…just like I should-_

"President!"

He restrained himself from letting out a long-suffering sigh as the member in question came dashing down the hall, looking simultaneously excited and worried - also as per the usual. His dark brown hair, tied up in an odd little bun at the front, wobbled energetically as he skidded to a halt.

"We found something! So you had me look into that disturbance in the Northern quadrant that we picked up on the _Denreishinki_ , and we finally found it and it's really weird and we can't make sense of it at all, not even Hiyosu, and we can't find the Captain or Nemu and we-"

"Breathe, Rin."

The boy had been growing blue in the face from lack of oxygen, taking a huge breath and coughing violently. Akon watched, bemused, as Rin turned a more normal shade, resuming as soon as his life was no longer in peril.

"It'll be better if I just show you. Come on!"

He grudgingly followed along to the central command center of the Division, dominated by the aforementioned Denreishinki, a massive layout of sensors and interfaces monitoring both the Soul Society and the human world; it was from here that they received much of the information that the thirteen Court Guard Squads utilized to plan their deployments.

Most of the main staff of the Research division were arranged around the primary data hub, intent on a large display above as Akon made his way over.

Hiyosu was manning the controls himself, large round head a pale green, teeth constantly bared in a grim expression with his golem-like lack of features. He glanced back with slightly protruding eyes as the vice-president approached, nodding once before returning to his work.

"Rin mentioned that spike in the northern area, did you figure it out?"

The man made a nasal hum. "I found the location, yes. As for what it was? No. Take a look." Another display lit up showing a detailed geographical map of the area in question, with a bright blue transparent overlay resting on top. To those who knew the system, it was designed to provide an accurate show of spiritual pressure in the zone indicated, conveyed as a layer of color indicating the type of disturbance.

Akon squinted at it, not recognizing the location. Unsurprising, considering there were only so many Shinigami; covering the entire human world was nearly impossible to do. As such, there were some areas that they didn't deploy to very often, if at all. The display zoomed in closer, showing snow-covered mountains and wide, winding rivers.

"Where is this, somewhere in Russia?"

"North-Western America. And now for the time lapse…"

The blue grid began to shift slightly, showing lighter spots of blue and green appear, some tiny flares of energy, human or otherwise.

"Now, watch closely," Hiyosu said eagerly, smiling in his odd way. Akon leaned forwards slightly in anticipation; they wouldn't have brought him into this if there wasn't something interesting.

A small readout at the top put the time right at sundown before he saw it: a massive spike of red and green on the outside of a small riverside town, blooming out over the surrounding landscape. He blinked in shock. Those colors meant Hollow and Soul Reaper energy, and in no small amount. The green display alone put it around the level of a Captain.

The frightening part was that the Hollow reading was even higher.

The others in the lab around him started whispering among themselves as he frowned. "We didn't have anyone in that area, did we? Any of our Captains?"

"Not even close. Would you like to know the best part? The energy readings are from the same source, not two separate entities. Something out there has both Shinigami and Hollow reiatsu."

Akon felt his spine go cold, hairs on his neck raising as an image flashed before his eyes of a messy-haired, white-robed man from years past.

 _Kisuke Urahara…_

"And the residents of..?"

"Fairbanks. All were rendered unconscious from the surge of reiatsu, though they were unharmed physically."

Hiding his initial reaction, he inwardly considered the possibilities as he stared at the screen, thinking. He made to turn away before one tiny detail caught his attention. "Zoom in closer."

The view scrolled in slowly until the reaction was taking up the entire display: at the very center, barely visible under the green and red, was the tiniest flash of blue within the epicenter. They all looked at it incomprehensibly for a quiet few seconds.

"What is that?"

"I don't recognize the reaction…"

"Do we have it in the records?"

At that whisper from the crowd, Hiyosu tapped away at his station for a moment before motioning Akon closer. He pointed to a smaller screen lower down without a word. Akon stared at it in confusion, mind struggling to process the information he was being forced to face. With a sinking feeling, he realized he had only one course of action available.

"This information is to stay confidential until you are ordered otherwise," he shouted, striding away, fatigue gone. Hiyosu scurried after him, a worried expression on what remained of his facial features.

"Akon! Akon, what are you doing?!"

"You know exactly what I have to do." He wheeled on his shorter associate, face determined.

"I'm taking this to the Captain Commander myself."


	10. Chapter 10

_So you may notice my scene breaks changed, and thats because the Fanfiction app doesnt like only having symbols. It takes letters just fine, but not my standard '--' or anything fun I could think of. Also I can't add more spacing on the mobile app. It's not exactly a problem, but if it annoys me enough I'll see what I can do just uploading new chapters to the main site on my PC or something._

Anyways _, I hope you all enjoy this, sorry (as always) that it took so long. On that note, I actually do have the next chapter mostly fleshed out already, so that should be up a lot sooner than the past couple._

And _lastly, I do want to thank people who leave a quick review, whether you just say you like what I'm doing here or if you had a thought about something specific, good or bad. Reading them is always great for me, and sometimes it even kicks my lazy ass into gear when I'm in a bit of a slump. So really, thank you._

And _with that, until next time._

 **Chapter 10**

Hollows of various sizes and shapes all parted hastily as the eighth Espada waded through their ranks, gigantic crescent halberd swinging in one clenched fist. He snarled at one larger creature as it moved slower than the rest, resisting the urge to simply kill the beast.

With the obstacle cleared, Nnoitra kept stalking down the hall, ignoring the cautious and even hostile looks he was receiving.

 _Damn him…fuckin' lying bastard…_

He fumed, turning a corner aimlessly with no destination in mind, unconsciously seeking some sort of outlet. The plans he had so painstakingly worked out had all but fallen apart with Szayelaporro's refusal to participate, and he was left with only an assurance that Nelliel's two fracción wouldn't be around for a time. His onetime accomplice had repeatedly told him that they were not to be trifled with, no matter their outward appearance; doubly so if they fought together.

Nnoitra's teeth ground together the more he imagined it all. He wasn't much of a thinker, had never been. He just powered his way through every obstacle, every problem in his way.

Until her.

Ever since their first meeting - and subsequent battle - he had always been one step behind. In power, in the ranks of the Espada, in everything. He had always sought to outstrip her, to surpass his own limits...but it had never worked. She'd beaten him every time without fail, without even breaking a sweat.

In the end, she wouldn't even deign to kill him. And when asked why?

 _"Because you are weaker than me."_

The words had haunted him, drove him to seek out stronger battles, to improve. All for nothing. In the end it had driven him to make a deal to eliminate her, only for that to be dashed as well; and all because of some scrawny, carrot-topped little shit.

One hand clenched reflexively, the metal haft of his weapon creaking under the strain. With the exertion his arm twitched painfully, a deep ache still lingering.

The last Cero that Shin had fired off in their previous fight had given him pause; the gap between Vasto Lordes and Arrancar wasn't as great as some imagined, and the sheer potency of the single attack that Nel had redirected towards him had been enough to take him out of the fight. As Nnoitra had laid sprawled out across a dune nearly a mile out from the walls of Las Noches, scorched and burned enough to render him nearly unconscious, he realized the attack hadn't included almost any of the other Espada's power.

He'd been hit with enough of her techniques in the past to know.

The last subtle traces of pain faded as his anger flared at the thought, and he vaguely noticed any surrounding Hollows giving him a wider berth as he turned another corner – to see Nelliel leaning against a distant wall, gazing out a window.

Nnoitra froze. A quick glance around, a subsequent scan with his senses – the runt wasn't anywhere nearby, and from what faint signals he could pick up, he wasn't even conscious.

He looked back to Nel; she was distracted, focused inwards, eyes vacant.

 _This is it._

Nnoitra took one step forwards. He'd never had a chance like this. The two idiots, gone. The other Espada wouldn't care, not enough to intervene.

Other Hollows nearby started to notice what was happening, some rushing for cover, a few glancing at Nelliel with something faintly resembling worry. He knew her reputation in Las Noches was better than most; she had a certain kindness not common among their race.

A glare from him sent them scuttling away, more concerned about their own survival. The last obstacle cleared, he stalked forward, boots clicking on the stone floor. Nel was still staring outside, lost in thought.

 _Closer._

It took every ounce of restraint not to just rush at her and be done with it – that had never worked before.

 _Almost…_

Massive weapon held to the side, he crept closer, every nerve in his body tensed. He froze as she let out a long sigh, closing her eyes in apparent weariness.

 _Now._

He lunged, glimpsing the corner of one bright green iris as she turned in surprise - too late.

A flash of steel…a burst of crimson.

\--O--O--O--

Shin lurched upright, blankets sent flying as he gasped in pain, muscles clenching in protest from laying still so long. Blinking blearily, he attempted to look out a nearby window to gauge the time.

 ** _That doesn't work here._**

The whisper emanated deep from his mind, clear enough to hear, but quiet and sudden enough to startle him fully awake. Shin opened and closed one hand repeatedly, staring at the simple silver bands still affixed at his wrists.

 _I can still hear them…_

His last psychotic break had shaken more than just his sanity; it had let loose memories and feelings from however many Hollows and other souls that now comprised his spiritual being. With his loss of control in the human world, they had been forced to the top; the cacophony of voices speaking and screaming along with flashes of memory that were not his own had nearly driven him insane. Even now as he rose from the bed, he could see faint scenes overlaying his own vision as he looked around the room…

 ** _A glance back to the bed showed a nightmarish scene, a reclined woman wailing to the sky, thighs and sheets drenched in red..._**

 ** _At the table, a family of three in unfamiliar clothes spoke quietly, pale mirages of their forms in life as they held hands, tears streaming down as they were swept away in an instant..._**

 ** _A horribly sickly man collapsed against a wall nearby, vomiting blood. He hacked painfully before looking up with distant eyes, a haggard grin gracing torn lips…_**

 ** _Another woman strode past, smiling, her tinkling laughter the barest of echoes as she danced out a door into dazzling sunlight, one hand reaching back, gesturing to him..._**

Shin closed his eyes with a shudder, reopening them to see the door fade away, the warm glow replaced with a trickle of moonlight streaming through a window high in the ceiling.

"It's not real." He gasped, cold drops of sweat making his palms slick. "I'm alive…"

 ** _Not even close._**

"I'm fine…"

 ** _Keep dreaming, boy._**

 _SHUT. UP._

Silence.

Shin heaved a long breath, feeling his own mind settle back to normal - or whatever counted as normal for him at this point. It took him another several minutes to marshal his thoughts together, looking around.

 _Where's Nel?_

Stumbling around the rooms, he realized Pesche and Dondochakka were also gone, and he couldn't sense anyone nearby with his…he went blank for a moment, trying to remember the odd word-

 ** _Pesquisa._**

He ignored the source of the information, simply taking it for what it was. Annoyingly, something more kept nagging at the back of his mind as he went on searching. Several minutes with no results had him frowning behind the mask, digging into what remained of his memory.

 _I'm missing something…how long was I out?_

He felt the room shudder, dust raining down from the ceiling at some distant impact. His spine went cold as he recognized the spiritual signatures, breaking into a run the next moment.

 _Not again. Never again._

He wasn't powerless this time.

\--O--O--O--

Nel winced at another clanging impact, the jarring sensation sending a wave of agony through her head. Shaking away the pain, she put her full weight into her Gamuza and shoved back, sending the attacker skidding away.

Nnoitra righted himself, the ever-present smirk nowhere to be found, leaving a disturbingly blank expression. Gone were the taunts and snide remarks she had always been subject to. Only a cold killing intent remained.

The initial strike had caught her by surprise – she had been feeling the weight of current events heavier than normal, and had allowed herself to let her guard down. Never a wise decision in Hueco Mundo, and she was paying the price. The wound had carved a gash in her forehead, splintering part of her mask and laying her skull open to the bone. Her vision was impaired, both from the blood clouding her eyes and the crippling pain itself.

She was losing.

Anytime she moved to evade or overpower him, the strain provoked another wash of agony and another vicious strike from Nnoitra's weapon while she struggled to recover. He was taking perfect advantage of every weakness, not swaggering around, flaunting his strength…just as she had tried to teach him in the past. In an ironic twist of fate, he was finally following her lessons.

A tiny smile threatened to cross her lips at the thought as she watched him stalk closer.

An instant later she tumbled away as that huge crescent swept in from the side, opening a gaping crater in the corridor wall. Nel scrambled to her feet. She had no illusions about what was going to happen here; she was weak from the blood loss, and more than that she could feel herself growing cold, like she was losing reiatsu at the same time. She wasn't resigned to simply rolling over and dying, but neither would she run from this.

The next blow sent her own blade flying out of her hands, the hilt slick with blood. With the same movement Nnoitra spun his polearm, catching her in the side with the haft and sending her to the ground in a explosive cloud of rubble. Nel gasped in pain, pushing herself up against a wall slowly. The smoke cleared, Nnoitra standing above her, raised weapon glinting through the haze. Their eyes met. Nnoitra went to say something, only to start in surprise as Nel cut him off.

"Spare me the dramatic speech, please."

The man paused, the ghost of a sneer tracing his features, no trace of amusement left.

"…Fine, then."

Before he could move another inch a white and orange blur appeared in between the two, and with a loud enough _thud_ that Nel could feel the impact in her bones Nnoitra was sent flying through the opposite wall of the corridor.

She watched in a sort of blood loss-induced stupor as Shin landed, giving her a quick once-over. His eyes narrowed and a guttural growl slipped out. Without a word, he stalked after Nnoitra.

Nel almost tried to stop him. She had a hand extended, lips parted to call him back – but she couldn't. She had failed to bring this situation to a halt before, she had no more say in this. And even beyond that, something made her look closer. Shin had changed, she could see it as he swept through the lingering haze. He no longer held himself like an animal, acting only on instinct, taut as a drawn bowstring at all times. He now stood straight with his head raised, confident in his movements. For once, he appeared comfortable in his own body.

And suddenly, she wasn't worried anymore.

\--O--O--O--

"What the hell…"

Nnoitra grit his teeth, the spot he'd been struck aching from the force of the blow he'd received. He stood fully, casting a glance around the large chamber he found himself in – three hallways over.

His thoughts swirled around in a near panic. He hadn't expected anyone to dare stop him, and the only ones that could were the other Espada…or their leader, but he wasn't back yet.

 _Then who? Who had the power or the balls to-_

Shin stepped through the hole leading back to Nelliel, fixing him with a cold glare.

"Hah!" Nnoitra couldn't help it – he laughed. It went on for nearly ten seconds, Shin not moving an inch.

"Of course it's you. Why wouldn't it be?" Nnoitra put on his trademark sneer, twirling his Zanpakuto almost in glee. "Fine! I don't give a damn anymore! I'm gonna kill your scrawny ass first!"

With that proclamation he leapt forwards, weapon darting towards Shin quick as a flash.

 _CLANG_

The blade stopped, the suddenness jerking him to a halt, eyes widening. Shin had one pincer-like end grasped in each hand, body braced against the force – his eyes flared like the sun an instant later. With a blindingly fast movement, he snapped off one tip of the blade with a disturbing lack off effort and sent it spinning towards Nnoitra's face.

With a curse the Espada dodged back, the fragment of the weapon slicing a furrow into his cheek with a painful sting as it passed.

 _The hell?!_

He'd realized with a start Shin wasn't in front of him just as a clenched fist impacted his jaw with tremendous force, sending him staggering. As he recovered he lashed out with his free hand, using every ounce of strength as he swept his blade in a wide path, knowing Shin couldn't move out of the way in time.

To his amazement, the smaller man simply reached out, one had almost caressing the haft of the weapon as he slid past in a breathtaking maneuver, leaving Nnoitra off balance from the failed strike. His one eye widened again as the other hand charged a brilliant red cero in the same movement.

Several seconds later he was tumbling across the floor, clothes charred and fraying as he hopped back to his feet.

He didn't get it.

As Shin closed the gap and they began to trade blows again, his mind struggled to understand what had changed. The man standing before him wasn't the same one he'd wiped the floor with months ago, it couldn't be. The difference was too large, no matter what training Nel had drilled into that horned head of his, no matter what tricks he might have picked up from that shark chick. He watched as Shin leapt over a quick jab, twisting in the air and using the momentum in a piston-like kick – Nnoitra managed to block with his other arm, but the sheer force sent him skidding back.

 _The runt I fought before didn't move like this!_

Shin darted under another sweep, delivering a barrage of painful strikes to his exposed side. He growled an expletive and tried to grab the annoying little bastard – by the time his fingers reached that spot, another explosive cero swept over him from the other side.

"FUCK!" He screamed in pain and fury, his yellow reiatsu bursting out and pulverizing the immediate area. To his great displeasure he saw Shin skid to a halt safely out of the range, assuming a casual stance. His anger boiling up, he instead turned it into scorn, sneering cockily.

"Impressive, runt. You picked up some moves to go along with all that running around." He snickered, readjusting his grip on his massive Zanpakuto. "Too bad you still can't do shit to hurt me!"

With a cackle, he jumped forwards.

\--O--O--O--

Shin frowned under his mask as he dodged a predictable stab. He swept to the side along another, claws extended in a slash along the taller man's ankles. It didn't do more than tear the cloth there and leave a tiny scuff on the man's exceptionally strong Hierro, and he leapt away before the Espada could react.

In another corner of his mind, he reveled at the ease at which the movements came – as much as he didn't like where they came from. It seemed the memories dredged up from the other souls had come with some unexpected perks. He knew the best way to move instinctively, as if he had fought a thousand battles, and his body felt more than accustomed to the sensation. Even better, he knew how to avoid the slower attacks of the more powerful man he now faced, and strike where he was most vulnerable.

Not that it was helping too much, as Nnoitra had pointed out.

When the fight had first started, he'd tried to ignore the whispers and nudges from memories not his own until he fell into a sort of trance, letting his body take action before his mind fully registered what to do. And as satisfying it was to vent any lingering frustration at his situation on Nnoitra, he wasn't looking for just a brawl.

 _If only I had a Zanpakuto…_

The fact was, his claws wouldn't make it through that Hierro without several hours to just wail away at a single spot, and he doubted the volatile man would sit still long enough.

Shin hopped over another low sweep, focusing as Nnoitra sent a flurry of jabs his direction, finally spinning away to reposition. He recalled Nel's lessons when she had explained the basics of the strange weapons.

 _"Each Zanpakuto is unique to the possessor; as such, they can appear in a number of different shapes or styles depending on the individual. They are essentially the core of a spiritual beings power. Without them, the person in question will not be able to access the limits of their strength, and accordingly will not typically be able to achieve any drastic changes in power or ability without it. Shinigami can perform Shikai and Bankai, or initial and final release, of theirs. For us Arrancar, we have our Resurrección."_

 _"So what you're saying is that if you separate someone from their Zanpakuto…"_

 _She_ _shot him a look. "It would be a massive advantage, yes." After she had smiled at his helpless shrug, she had continued on to say, "The point is that a Zanpakuto serves as a focus. It narrows down the large amount of spiritual energy a being might possess into a focused form. Like…think of….water."_

 _"Like an ocean? Ow."_

 _She'd_ _smacked him in exasperation._

 _"Just water in general. Like out of a hose. If it's just coming out of that like normal, it's no threat. But if you squeeze that hose, it's going to start coming out a hell of a lot faster. A focused stream of water can cut through steel. In fact, I believe one of Baraggan's Fracción specializes in just that."_

 _"So what, a Zanpakuto just takes all that power and…pressurizes that?"_

 _"That's right. It's also the reason we don't all swing around weapons the size of buildings."_

 _"A sword that size would do a lot of damage though."_

The conversation from there had devolved into her lecturing him further – unfortunately with her own normally proportioned blade much to the amusement of Pesche, who had tagged along for once – but the point had stuck.

Coming back from his thoughts, Shin used the incoming weight of Nnoitra's weapon to swing around to the opposite side, landing a satisfying kick to the Espada's jaw.

 ** _So if you don't have a Zanpakuto, what else could you use?_**

The thought popped up from that dark corner of his mind, and he frowned again. What else did he even have? The Cero was his strongest attack, and even that at its most potent had only singed the Espada.

He cartwheeled over the haft of Nnoitra's blade, focusing on evasion as the thought kept nagging at him.

 ** _Like water._**

He blinked several times. It couldn't be that simple.

 _Could it?_

\--O--O--O--

Nnoitra kept his temper under control as much as he could, resting easy in the mindset that if he could land one solid hit the fight would be over and he would finally be able to get on with his business. He wasn't tired in the slightest and the runts attacks weren't doing more than trivial amounts of damage. He was almost getting annoyed at this point – the orange-haired annoyance dashed back to the opposite side of the room.

"The hell is he doing now?" Nnoitra muttered, resting his weapon on one shoulder carelessly. He saw the kids hands rise up, and a small red orb began to form in between, slowly growing larger.

 _Pathetic._

"Really?" He barked out a laugh, gathering his own Cero in one hand, humming with golden energy. Pointing it Shins way, he let it grow to a huge size, more than enough to wipe the brat out. "If you want a pissing contest, let's do it! You know this crap won't work on me."

Shin cocked his head to one side as he held out his own, the Cero swirling into an equal size – when suddenly it shrank. Nnoitra blinked in confusion as the red energy shuddered, pulsing from a baseball-like orb to appearing larger than his own. Finally it stabilized into the rough size of his fist, though strands of energy were still streaming into it, slowly rotating around the sphere, and it began to shine ominously.

 _The fuck is he trying to do with it?_

Not bothering to give it any more thought, he unleashed his own Cero, sending the radiant energy blasting forwards.

An instant later, he vanished in a torrent of crimson.

\--O--O--O--

To any spectators to the fight, it appeared as though the Espada's own technique had simply been consumed by the tidal wave of red that was the Cero that Shin had released. It thundered through the palace, and indeed it was a lucky turn of fortune that the blast was directed towards the outside of Las Noches and not inwards – the overall structure may not have survived the damage otherwise.

It carved a perfectly circular hole through the building and erupted out the surrounding wall soon after, the diameter of the exit wound nearly large enough for a Menos to step through, and disappeared into the night sky.

Shin moved towards the edge of the crater, seeing Nnoitra picking himself up off of the ground just before the wall dropped out to the desert below, black scorch marks all over his torso.

"That didn't work exactly how I wanted it to…"

He'd been trying to focus the Cero enough so that it would simply release all that energy from a focused point, but…he'd fumbled his control at the last second.

 _Nel isn't going to be happy with me._

He went to step towards the Espada when another form appeared in between the two and he froze.

The newcomer wore the standard white jacket, which his hands were tucked into, and the white hakama of most humanoid Hollows, the collar slightly higher than some and neatly done up to his neck. He had short, rather messy black hair down to the base of his head, covered on the left side by a half-helmet of ridged bone, a single curved horn pointing backwards. The coattails of the jacket were long enough to swing gently as the man turned to give Shin a dispassionate stare with deep green eyes; he noticed with a start that the man possessed cat-like slit pupils. Two thin green lines ran from the bottom of his eyes to his jawline.

By now Nnoitra had managed to stand fully upright, but had also paused in surprise at the sight of the other man.

"Ulquiorra…"

Shin tensed at the name, remembering Nels advice to be careful around this particular man, the Fifth Espada. Known for his rigid adherence to the orders of the ruler of Las Noches, he upheld the peace – such as it was – and was part of the reason many Hollows kept themselves in line at all.

At the mention of his name he turned slightly towards Nnoitra, fixing him with an equally emotionless gaze.

"Nnoitra Gilga," he began, voice calm and almost as bored as he appeared, "You know the Espada were instructed not to release anything that could severely damage Las Noches within these walls."

"Wha-that wasn't even me!"

At that, Ulquiorra's eyebrows rose very slightly, causing Nnoitra to sputter, becoming more agitated. "It was _that_ little shit, but even then, mind your own damn business!"

Nnoitra held his ground under the other Espada's silent scrutiny, though Shin could see the lanky man sweating slightly – he was outclassed here. Suddenly Ulquiorra turned away, walking up to Shin, who had to fight the urge to back away. He stopped a few feet away.

"You."

Shin blinked and had the brief impulse to salute.

"You understand I will not tolerate another blast like that within Las Noches."

 _You and Nel both._

"Uh…yes. Sir."

Without another word the man walked past, and was about to disappear into another hall leading away when Nnoitra overcame his apprehension, shouting: "Hey! What are you doing?!"

There was a long pause.

"Nothing at all."

The response had Shin swiveling to look as well. Ulquiorra had stopped with one foot around the corner, and the expression on his pale features could probably be described as annoyed if you looked closely enough.

"This is your mess. I suggest you clean it up."

And with that, he was gone.

\--O--O--O--

Nnoitra spat out a curse as a column of vivid red seared past his shoulder, exploding a short distance away as it impacted in the dunes, kicking up sand in the aftermath. Shin didn't give him any time to recover, appearing with a blur on his opposite side, another condensed Cero vibrating in his palm.

The Espada slammed into the desert in a cloud of smoke and sand the next instant.

Shin landed nearby, panting. Since Ulquiorra's appearance, the fight had taken it's natural course outside the main structure, and had gotten much more violent. Shin had managed to refine his Ceros enough to cause severe burns and scarring across Nnoitra's torso, and in turn Nnoitra had lost his veneer of calm, his anger turning dark from the pain.

They clashed again, the impact sending a shockwave into the surroundings, Shin still managing to dodge or deflect most of the taller mans attacks, though he did bear scuffs and the occasional gash from the battle.

Nnoitra's rage was reaching a peak as they traded blows, and finally he managed to catch Shin with the pole of his weapon, throwing him away violently.

"I'm fucking _done_ with this shit!" he roared, sweeping the crescent blade straight up towards the sky with one hand, assuming a telltale stance.

Shin landed and immediately blurred into a Sonido, recalling Nel's words on Zanpakuto, and the one weakness all possessors of such weapons usually had when they went to invoke it: they left themselves open.

"Pray…"

Shin appeared in the air above, a Cero glowing in each hand, and with a savage roar slammed them together – with Nnoitra's hand and the haft of his Zanpakuto in between.

The two vanished in the resulting detonation, a massive red-tinted cloud of smoke and sand washing over the area like a hurricane. A minute later it began to settle, revealing the aftermath.

Shin heaved for breath, his clawed fingers scorched and burned, smoke still rising from the digits. Part of him hoped that was all it took, but as he scanned through the haze…

Nnoitra still stood.

The tall Espada stepped through the smoke, staggering. His right arm from the elbow down was a charred stump, and his weapon was nowhere to be seen.

 _"Letting the enemy power themselves up is just stupid."_

Nel had told him that, the same day as her previous advice. Take the initiative. Strike when the enemy is vulnerable. If they have to stand still, all the better for you.

As Nnoitra limped closer, Shin realized with an unpleasant jolt that the mans eyepatch had been blown away, revealing an empty cavity where his other eye socket should be, surrounded by a macabre caricature of teeth and bone – his Hollow hole.

He finally spotted Shin watching him, stopping with apparent effort and glaring with his one remaining eye. "What…you done already, runt?"

Shin glared right back. There was no love lost between them, he knew that. Still, the abrasive attitude managed to make even this feel bitter. It seemed the Espada was going to make him fight until the end. Shin glanced around, the smoke clearing enough that Las Noches, only a few hundred feet away, was coming into view, and he realized that they had an audience.

Along the hole his Cero had carved into the side of the palace were arranged an assortment of Hollows of various sizes, some larger bestial shapes, and others the smaller and much more rare silhouettes of Vasto Lordes…and Arrancar. There stood Dordoni, an unusually serious expression on his tanned features. Nearby Szayelaporro was leaning against a wall with a passive expression; as he saw Shin looking his way a wry smile raised the corners of his mouth. The real surprise was Baraggan sitting in his ornate throne, arms crossed moodily and surrounded by his usual entourage. He spotted others he recognized from various spots around Las Noches, Harribel heading up the usual group from their usual spars at the front of the crowd.

He heard a coughing laugh, turning back to look at Nnoitra, who began to speak in strained tones. "Ain't everyday you see a scrap like this one…heh…bastards. So much for comrades-in-arms."

Shin tilted his head curiously. "Did you ever think of them like that?"

Nnoitra straightened slightly, almost taken back by the question. "…Nah. That's what we were supposed to be, but the boss knew it wasn't like that for most. It's still Hueco Mundo, shit like that doesn't change."

Shin shrugged. "Maybe."

The Espada made a rude noise. "Fuck, don't give me that sappy shit now. Finish this while I'm still on my damn feet."

He was about to move when Nnoitra abruptly lurched forwards, tattooed tongue sticking out, a golden Cero firing within the blink of an eye. It went on for several moments before it began to shrink, and Nnoitra watched with something resembling incredulity as Shin swallowed the last of the energy, jaws of his mask clicking shut as he finished.

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding m-"

His own Cero erased the rest of his words, another explosion scarring the desert. After another minute Shin finally grew tired of the haze, releasing a burst of reiatsu to clear the air.

Nnoitra still stood. Scorched until he was practically unrecognizable, but miraculously he was still upright.

 _Nel did say he wanted to die on his feet…_

As he stepped closer, Shin knew he should probably feel something more than the simple weariness from the fight itself, but simple logic explained that well enough. Nnoitra was a man that sought out conflict, reveled in carnage. There was no sorrow to be found in the downfall of such a being.

He stopped several feet away. Nnoitra weakly swung his remaining arm in an attempt to fight back – Shin caught the mans wrist with his own left, pulling him off balance.

With his right hand he gathered the strength for another Cero, fingers curled into a claw with the strain as he kept it as tiny as a marble, swirling with power…and placed his palm over the Espada's Hollow hole.

And Nnoitra Gilga fell.

\--O--O--O--

With the battle over, Shin had remembered Nel's dire condition, sprinting back to Las Noches only to be stopped by Szayelaporro, who reassured him that she was stable. The crowd began to disperse, but he received both positive or negative reactions from many there. Baraggan in particular gave him an approving grunt before stomping off, while Harribel and company stepped forwards just after.

"If a fight was all you wanted, I am still available," she said, still as calmly spoken as always, but the visible skin around her eyes raised slightly and Shin got the distinct impression she was smiling behind the mask.

He shook his head tiredly. "It was a bit more than that…"

"I know."

Shin blinked at the quick response, and he suddenly had the feeling that she knew much more about the ongoings of Las Noches than he'd thought. He cast a quick glance to the side and caught a sly wink from Sung-Sun in the background, the bangles on the sides of her mask swinging gently.

"Right. I'll let you know next time."

With a nod she strode away, and he received both that unusual smile from Sung-Sun and several uncertain looks from the other two Adjucha following along behind as they left.

The rest had left by now and he immediately turned to the Seventh Espada, who sighed dramatically and adjusted his glasses with one hand.

"Come on, then."

\--O--O--O--

Shin had been expecting a lecture; don't cause any trouble, why did you think firing off a blast like that inside Las Noches was ever a good idea, things like that. Essentially, he was walking into the lab with the unmistakable sensation of a child who had just broken a window.

Instead he found her in the sort of mood that most men, human or otherwise, tended to run from.

When he walked in she was seething in some sort of medical chair, machines whirring about her bloodied head as they worked, and he would swear to whatever gods that were listening that he could see fire in her eyes. It lessened somewhat once she saw him, and he could tell that she wanted to get up and interrogate him – then he saw the straps holding her to the chair.

"She wouldn't sit still," Szayelaporro explained, walking past carelessly – she gave him a look that would have curdled milk. Shin smiled to himself as he approached, and he could see her scanning him for injuries. Pointless due to his recovery time, but he didn't feel like mentioning that to her at the moment.

"So…Nnoitra?" she asked after an awkward moment. "The walls in this place make it isolated, and I can't sense anything that happened…"

"He's dead."

Nel sat back, and he could see a mix of regret and resignation passing over her for several minutes. He shuffled uncomfortably. Finally, she heaved a long sigh, wincing slightly as one machine above her probed the wound, removing a tiny sliver of bone from her shattered mask. "Well, I suppose I don't have to worry that you can take care of yourself anymore."

He snorted at the thought, and she brightened somewhat.

"Anyways," she said, suddenly cheerful. "I'll handle the fallout once I get out of this stupid chair. You've got a patrol to do."

He blinked owlishly. "Right now?"

"Yep."

"It doesn't exactly feel like a good time."

"Time waits for no man. Remember, you were out for nearly a week."

She smirked at his surprise. "Go on, I'll be-" She was interrupted by the hiss of a pressurized needle at the nape of her neck. " _-ow_. I'll be fine."

\--O--O--O--

Nel watched him trot out of the room just as Szayelaporro reappeared, tapping away at a small tablet. Her smile slowly faded.

"The next patrol _was_ scheduled for several days from now."

He didn't even look up at her suspicious tone. "I am aware."

The man endured her eyes boring into his skull for nearly a full minute before rolling his eyes and caving. "I received the orders to have him deploy to a specific area just a few hours ago."

Orders? But who would-

Her eyes widened in shock.

"The situation seemed dire enough that I had been sending reports and my data for several months. I finally received a response, with coordinates and a time. That is all I know," he said slowly, giving her a meaningful look.

"So then…"

"It appears our Captain is moving things along."

 **\--Soul Society, the Seireitei--**

The warm atmosphere in the Seireitei experienced a sudden chill around the training grounds, a slim figure in black going through her forms as she twisted and turned. A pristine white sword, practically glowing in the afternoon light, danced in her hands. A long white ribbon fixed to the pommel traced the sweeping movements in elegant swirls, mist trailing in her wake.

The woman, tiny in stature, sent the blade flashing forwards, reversing her hold and almost seeming to float back as she hopped slightly, sword flashing in a complex net of steel in the air around her. She landed, exhaling slowly, calmly, her breath showing in the cool aura.

"Pardon my interruption, but that was a beautiful sight even for me, Lieutenant Kuchiki."

Rukia let out quiet 'eep', turning to see another Soul Reaper wearing a white Haori standing to the side. She brushed a stray lock of black hair away from her face, startled.

"Captain Tousen, I'm so sorry I didn't see you there!"

The dark-skinned man gave her a small smile, milky white eyes inscrutable under his typical visor, though of course he couldn't actually see her in the traditional sense. His own Zanpakuto, Suzumushi, sat in it's place at his hip.

She nodded respectfully towards it. "Did you come to train as well?"

"Yes. The rumors of this strange Hollow have me concerned," he murmured, stepping into the stone-tiled ring. "And as much as I may not wish to, my own capability for war may be needed."

Rukia frowned despite herself. She didn't want to doubt the word of the more experienced fighter, but…

"Could a single Hollow really prove to be that much of a problem, sir? I know of Menos Grande causing trouble simply due to their size, but they're practically animals. I didn't understand the reason for the orders the Captain Commander gave for us to carry arms at all times…" She remembered her own Sode no Shirayuki, letting it return to it's unreleased state and sheathing it a moment later.

The Captain's expression tightened at the question in a rare display of negative emotion. "It does not surprise me you know nothing about them, the last encounter with their kind was long before you joined the Thirteenth Squad…"

He paused, tilting his head up towards the sun shining in the sky. "I believe you have a patrol soon, correct?"

"Oh! Yes sir."

 _I almost forgot._

Tousen seemed to sense her chagrin, again smiling gently, his ponytailed dreadlocks swinging. "A quick lesson then, and you should be off. The name Menos, as you mentioned, is the common term for the Menos Grande, but is actually the colloquial term for three classes of Hollow…"

\--O--O--O--

Rukia was soon dashing over the rooftops of the Seireitei, making her way to the meeting point, head swimming with new information.

 _Vasto Lordes…literally translated, Vast Lords._

The title alone gave her pause. In her mind, Hollows had never amounted to much more than mindless beings, following their baser instincts. To know now that there could be creatures out there just as intelligent and as strong as their own Captains was…unsettling. A sentiment apparently shared by Captain Tousen, who had expressed as much before she had left the training grounds.

"What would it take to have Hollows bow down to another of their kind?" she wondered aloud, touching down and greeting several small groups of others from her own squad, all combat ready.

As they prepared to leave, Rukia watched the glowing gate of the Senkaimon slide open, hell butterflies flitting over each squad members shoulders, but in her mind she already knew the answer – even if she didn't particularly want to think about the possibilities.

 _The only thing Hollows ever bow to is overwhelming power…_


	11. Chapter 11-v2

_Wow, a new chapter within a reasonable amount of time. Feels weird, in a good way. Couple notes here as per usual._

 _One: Uploading things through the main site instead of the app does not work at all, as the transfer between my Microsoft Word files (DocX) and the Fanfiction site will not save italics or bold text when I actually try to upload it. Which sucks. It does save the larger spacing I was wanting to try, but...it still sucks._

 _Two: While checking the main site I realized that some more PM's from way back never made it to the app. So I'll be making a habit of checking those on my PC at home more often, though I'll still mostly be writing while I'm at work._

 _...I think that's it?_ _I mean, I always think of more after I release a chapter, but oh well._

 _As always, thanks for stopping by._

 _ **Chapter 11 v2 update: 11-10-18** **. (Notes at end of chapter for spoiler avoidance.)**_

Chapter 11

 **\--The Human World--**

Shin hovered, or stood, several hundred feet above a sprawling city, hair blowing to the side in the stiff breeze. A Garganta placed behind him gaped open as the last of his group returned. He squinted and crouched down, watching a group of black-clothed dots move cautiously closer.

"You know," said Sung-Sun, slithering up to him – in midair, which made him raise a brow at the odd sight – "we could just eat _them_. It would be much more efficient than harvesting human souls."

He admitted to himself that she did have a point – Soul Reapers were naturally higher in spiritual concentration. Hollow miracle food.

 _Orders are orders though._

"We don't know if there's anyone down there who might actually be a problem for Adjucha, or else that'd be a great idea."

Shin let out a long sigh and she tilted her head.

"Something wrong?"

He grunted. "The whole thing with Nnoitra left a bad taste in my mouth, I guess."

Sung-Sun hummed thoughtfully until he stood, shaking himself out of his mood and motioning for her to leave. When she raised one questioning eyebrow his direction, Shin just grimaced back. Enough of the emotion made it past the mask, and she turned away with a rolling serpentine shrug. As she slipped into the portal, the Adjucha chanced one last glance back, catching a glimpse of Shin's yellow eyes as he descended.

She knew that look all too well; the look of a man in search of a distraction.

O--O--O

Hirota Yasuhide shivered in his uniform, struggling to keep his composure.

"Stay in formation!" the squad leader roared, darting forwards with his Zanpakuto raised. An instant later he could see sparks flying out of the corner of his eye as the clang of steel on steel – or something nearly as hard – rang out, sending a sharp pang through his head.

He didn't look.

Hirota heard Sayoko nearby gasp in shock, and equally distressed noises from the other squad members in the area as the noise continued, a frenzied crashing of metal punctuated by third-seat Hinamoto's grunts of exertion.

But still, he didn't look.

It wasn't that Hirota was unable to move; he simply couldn't force his mind to reconcile his life as he had known it with what was happening.

A piercing scream finally broke his stupor, and before he could stop himself, he turned.

Hinamoto was falling, trailing blood from a savage gash in his torso. Hirota's eyes followed the body's descent for a moment, uncomprehending. He looked back up to see that…. _thing_ standing above him, pale as bone, the marks on its chest like inky black lines of fire. The creature's smoldering gaze swept over them almost curiously, jagged horns glinting in the clouded sunlight, wind whipping a mane of bright orange to the side. One of its clawed hands was dyed crimson with gore.

An instant later the thing dipped to the side in an incredibly balletic movement to avoid a vertical slash from Sasaki who had appeared from behind. With a strangled cry he pursued the creature, swinging wildly. Soon after the rest of his squad leaped to attack as well.

Hirota stood frozen, just watching.

The normally agile and precise Sasaki's movements were uncoordinated in his fury; the thing simply swept in after too-wide swing, claws held rigid as it stabbed a hand straight through his chest.

Talented little Nana was the next to gain its attention, her Kido technique exploding around it in a shock of green light. Hirota saw it practically swim through the blast, taking the full brunt without any apparent effort. An instant later she fell past him; her head tumbled the opposite direction.

Takahashi, a promising new seated member of the thirteenth squad, leapt forwards next. He jumped into the blinding corona of the sun, assuming a stance with his Zanpakuto, and Hirota had a brief moment of hope. With a blurred movement, the Hollow thrust one hand up to sky, a radiant pillar of red energy firing a split second later. When it faded and he could see without squinting, not a trace of the Soul Reaper could be seen except for a quickly fading wisp of smoke high in the air.

He staggered back in shock as two more clashed with the Hollow, the creature casually catching their blades with his bare hands. He broke half of one blade off and nearly beheaded its owner with the fragment, simply letting go of the other. The wielder of it, Sayoko, cried out at the gesture, jumping up and swinging as hard as she could at the things neck; the weapon shattered against his skin like a piece of glass. In response he tossed his head back, impaling the poor woman on two feet of needle-sharp bone.

Hirota had a vision of every Hollow he had ever encountered in the past. Large, small, bestial or humanoid…nothing had prepared them for this.

He couldn't take any more – he ran.

He could hear her agonized screams and other shouts from the remaining squad members as he dashed away, blood pounding in his head hard enough to ache.

"I can't-" he gasped, trying to excuse his shameful actions to himself as much as the rest, "I can't do anything like this!"

His life was flashing before his eyes, and in the background, he could sense the life forces of his companions being snuffed out, one by one.

 _He had just decided to join the Seireitei and become a Soul Reaper. He waved back to his family in the Rukongai one last time, smiling bravely at their tears…_

He heard another scream echo from miles back, and he could feel the sensation as sharp as a knife as another spiritual signature vanished. He sped up.

 _He had just graduated with flying colors from the Soul Reaper Academy. He went to see his family again for the first time in months; they were proud, though he could sense a trace of bitterness in his younger siblings' expressions_ …

Hirota was almost out of hearing range of the massacre, and he was hysterically thankful of that fact as he jumped over a higher building, as fast as he had ever been.

 _He had just been accepted into the Thirteenth squad by Captain Ukitake himself; a great honor for an unseated Soul Reaper, but the Captain's kindness was known to all. He only wished to repay that gesture someday…_

"And I will…" Hirota nearly shouted this, though haggard and rough from the pace he was setting. "But I need to survive this…to inform the Captain Commander…"

 _If I can just live!_

He was so focused on his flight he failed to notice the disappearance of the last several Shinigami presences nearby.

With the sudden sensation that he had hit a brick wall, he was jerked to a stop by the collar and thrown to a nearby rooftop in a skidding, coughing pile of limbs. He recovered enough to see the horned Hollow land nearby. Its forearms and horns were now completely drenched in blood, and several trails of the same red had run down to the things mask, painting a gruesome path.

"N-no, please…" Hirota said, abandoning any sense of pride he had left, crawling backwards until he hit the raised edge of the concrete roof. The thing stared at him, yellow gaze strangely calm for the expression etched into its mask. It took a step forward.

"No…"

It ignored his pleas, striding closer, one hand rising.

"I-I just want to live!"

To his immense surprise it paused, eyes widening the tiniest fraction and glancing down at its gore-encrusted claws.

He heard it mutter, "…To live…"

Hirota didn't know what to think. He had been under the impression that Hollows were no more capable of truly rational thought than beasts, but…here he was. Clinging to that distant possibility, he spoke.

"That's right…that's all I want. I don't want to fight you." Hirota said hesitantly. He couldn't even be sure this being was entirely sane yet. Moving as slowly as he could, he loosened the belt tying his sword to his hip, making sure it saw him dropping it to the ground.

 _There's no time for dignity or honor here…not if I want to walk away from this._

The Hollow tracked his movements closely, though Hirota could tell the thing wasn't worried about him in the slightest.

The sheath and hilt clattered softly as it hit the concrete. It continued to stare his direction. A faint glimmer of hope began to rise in his heart-

The Hollow's horned head turned sharply, pointing to the east: another full company of Soul Reapers could be seen in the distance, and with it his hope vanished as swiftly as they were approaching.

To his dismay the Hollow seized him by the throat an instant later, lifting him effortlessly into the air, choking and flailing. He tried to say something else, to beg, but it just fixed him with a cold stare.

"Sorry. I have my orders."

O--O--O

Rukia strained to glimpse the opponent as she and the squad around her dashed towards the combat zone. It was concerning to only sense a single Soul Reaper signature; the initial group they were trying to rendezvous with had left the Seireitei with nearly double the standard compliment.

One of the others shouted in alarm, and she moved away from her thoughts. Peering ahead, she caught a glimpse of one of their newer recruits being lifted into the air by…

 _What is that?_

The next moment the horned creature had snapped the Soul Reaper's neck and was darting their way at a speed that was hard to believe was real.

Rukia skidded to a halt. "Brace for combat, all units-!"

She hadn't even finished her orders before the thing appeared in their midst. Screams and shouts of pain erupted as it lashed out with bloodstained claws to devastating effect; within moments three of her best were down.

 _Damn!_

Rukia tried to strike it from behind, her blade cutting only a strand of wild orange hair as it ducked. A foot hit her in the stomach like a piston as it maneuvered, sending her hurtling into a nearby wall. Coughing away the sensation, she forced herself to stand.

She looked up just in time to witness the thingflip into the air, and she caught a glimpse of bright sunlight streaming through its torso.

 _So, it is a Hollow…_

The report and subsequent orders from the Captain Commander about a strange creature came to the front of her mind.

"Just my luck," Rukia groaned, ignoring the pain in her sternum. Steeling herself, she signaled for the nearest Soul Reapers to cover her.

 _Why is it whenever I come up against a strong Hollow, a new Kido is all I have? I need to focus on training with my Zanpakuto more…_

Rukia could almost see the disapproving expression in her brother's eyes at the thought that she hadn't been doing that already, and she had to stop herself from smiling at the same time as she remembered the last time a desperate Kido technique had been her only hope...

She shook away the memory, swearing to herself this would be different. Sweeping her hands together at her right hip, Rukia began to concentrate. The few surrounding squad members readied their weapons, determined to defend her until it was ready.

 _Remember the incantation…_

She spoke as if to command respect from the heavens themselves as she began.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation…"

The Hollow was dodging three fighters at once in a dazzling display of acrobatics – until he seemed to grow tired of it, letting of their blades spark off of his form as he struck back with lethal effect.

"…flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man!"

The tips of her index and middle fingers on both hands began to shine a brilliant blue, and streams of energy started flowing in.

The sudden spike of reiatsu had the Hollow glancing over, eyes narrowed.

"On the wall of blue flame..."

In a blurred movement the three Soul Reapers were flung away and he was sprinting her direction, only to be intercepted by the surrounding group in a crash of steel.

"...inscribe a twin lotus!" she stated, determined to see this through.

The creature was continually foiled at every turn, vanishing and reappearing to the sides only to be stopped again and again. Rukia heard it swear violently and almost stumbled on her words. It sounded surprisingly…human.

"In the abyss of conflagration…"

After failing a final attempt, the Hollow jumped back, a bright red orb gathering in its palm-

"Bakudo seventy-three: _Tozansho!_ " Another Soul Reaper shouted, and a shimmering triangular prism of blue energy instantly formed around the Hollow. They could see its eyes widen just before the inside of the barrier erupted with a colossal noise. A moment later the technique shattered from the force, haze spilling out into the sky. Rukia heard another low curse, and she could see a clawed hand emerge through the cloud.

"...wait at the far heavens!" she cried, finally finishing the incantation. Thrusting both hands forwards, the power shimmering at her fingertips, she gathered it all into the point where her palms met. The remaining members of her squad scattered.

"Hado seventy-three: _Soren Sokatsui!_ "

The spell rocketed out from her tiny body, engulfing the entire skyline for nearly a mile in a blinding and destructive wave of blue-white energy. Rukia was pushed back by the sheer power of the blast, a little shocked herself at the result. She'd been practicing the Kido for months, but this is the first time she had managed to produce an attack with such potency.

The last vestiges of the blast faded into the distance with only a lingering cloud of smoke remaining, and she collapsed to her knees, weak with both the exertion and relief. She was soon joined by the last half dozen of her comrades, who were just as elated as they showered her with praise.

"Well done, Lieutenant!"

"I doubt anyone else in the Seireitei could manage something like that so fast, either."

There were murmurs of agreement from several as she smiled tiredly, eyes tracing over them.

 _So few left…_

"That was a good hit, Shinigami."

The statement cut through their conversation like a knife, and they turned back to see the smoke blow away in the wind, the Hollow emerging entirely unscathed. He crossed his arms, head tilting in a question. "Should I hope for more like that, or...?"

Several in the group took several fearful steps back. Nobody spoke for a time until Rukia managed to stand.

"All of you…retreat."

With a start they began to protest, only to be cut off as she continued, finding herself incredibly calm for the situation.

"And that...is an order."

O--O--O

Shin watched as the tiny woman ordered the rest to leave, eyes alighting on the ornate wooden badge tied to her left arm above her uniform.

"Their superior?" he wondered to himself; it would make a certain amount of sense, she was the only one among them who had managed to stop him for more than a second or two.

By the time he'd realized this the remaining six had begun to sprint away the opposite direction from him, and he let out an annoyed sigh.

 _What a waste of time._

Shin leapt, blurring forwards into a Sonido and reappearing just ahead of the furthest runner. The man barely noticed him before he swung one claw forwards – only to be deflected in a loud clang. He blinked in genuine surprise to see the same woman from before swinging at his face the next instant.

The rest darted away as she managed to keep him occupied, much to his growing pleasure; the task of eliminating witnesses faded to the back of his mind.

"You're full of surprises for being so small," he remarked, parrying her weapon again and again. The shadow of an irritated expression crossed her face and she responded with a swift jab to his sternum, the blade sparking off.

"Then," she snarled, taking one hand off of the hilt and readying into a different stance, "you'll love _this_."

In a blink she was above and behind, kicking off the top of his head with enough force to send him staggering off balance. With the open hand she gestured out to the side, shouting "Bakudo four: _Hainawa!_ "

With a lightning fast movement, a crackling yellow rope of energy formed around her clenched fist and she whipped it his direction. The spell hit his arm, winding around the rest of his body and holding him tight before he was able to recover. Holding her sword hand above the other, the woman rapidly muttered another incantation, finally gesturing with the same hand holding the previous spell.

"Bakudo sixty-one: _Rikujokoro!_ "

The bindings around Shin suddenly morphed, shifting into six identical slats of the same yellow color that extended in each cardinal direction with a snap – Shin found with an unpleasant start that he couldn't move a single inch, regardless of the fact that the strange spell was now only directly around his midsection. The instant it finished he sensed a large spike in power behind him, and he realized with a start that the technique was only there to buy time.

"Shit!" Shin strained as hard as he could against the restraints, and while tiny cracks appeared, he was no closer to breaking free.

With a twinge, a bolt of sharp pain shot though his head – and he knew exactly what to do.

O--O--O

Immediately after her spell took effect Rukia slid into a ready stance with her Zanpakuto, gathering power rapidly.

"Dance… _Sode no Shirayuki_."

In a flash her blade transformed, assuming it's gleaming white form in instant readiness.

 _And next…_

Her lips parted, preparing for the second dance; she didn't want to be any closer to this creature than she had to be. She made four quick taps in the air facing forwards, tiny particles of ice streaming from the points of contact.

"Tsugi no mai: _Hak-_ "

Her final word was cut off by a massive wave of spiritual pressure, and she was pushed backwards from the sheer force. The air thickened, gravity itself seeming to weigh her down.

Straining to see through the brilliant red shine, Rukia could just barely make out the Hollow's form in the center, still bound by her Kido.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" The horned man let out a strained roar, and she felt the energy rise sharply.

"He's trying to break it through power alone? But that's…" she murmured, standing once again. At the thought, a single memory from months ago rose to the front of her mind.

 _Not impossible…_

She almost laughed at herself for the thought, and the strange similarities between now and back then. A single soul exceeding all expectations, one after the other.

"Except now, it's this thing." Rukia said aloud, almost in chagrin.

One last surge from the Hollow and the restraints shattered like so much broken glass. He turned, bright yellow eyes narrowing upon seeing her again.

Another wave of his energy washed over her, and she was so caught up in thought it took her a moment to realize the familiar sensation wasn't simply in her mind – she had felt that signature before.

Eyes widening, Rukia had to force herself to shake that sensation away. The young man she'd failed to save had nothing to do with this.

As the Hollow closed the distance in a single leap, she deflected him to the side in a rain of sparks, using the momentum to keep her distance. Unconsciously, her eyes traced over him again as he moved to strike.

 _Young, the body itself couldn't be older than late teens…_

Rukia sent an explosive spell shooting forth; he spun past in a show of agility.

 _He's clearly used to physical exertion, and tall for his age besides. Was he like that in life as well?_

She brought her blade up as the Hollow clashed with her again, striking quickly with his bare hands. She frowned at the claws she saw there, noting the shock of crimson fur at the wrists. She caught the metallic glint of something hidden at their base before he flipped over her head. She swiped after him in response, hopping away. His fiery mane of hair caught the light as he turned.

 _It's the same unusual color._

Rukia tried to shake away the thought, but it clung to her like a barnacle. She dodged a wide swipe, glancing at the skull-faced helmet encasing his head.

 _No way to see his face. Even so…_

With a grunt of effort she put her full weight into her sword, shoving the Hollow away.

 _What am I doing? I'm barely holding my own here, I don't have any time for this._

But still…

O--O--O

The Shinigami sent another flurry of blows skating off his skin, huffing in effort as she avoided the full brunt of his retaliatory swipe. She hopped out of arms reach afterwards, panting, wincing at each move, blood matting her black robes from the newest wound. Still she stood strong, the grip on her Zanpakuto still firm.

Shin could tell the woman was examining him closer the longer the fight went on; he wouldn't really care, except for the fact that he wanted her full attention on the battle. Her finesse in combat alone made this one of the more enjoyable bouts he'd had yet, and the varied spells or techniques she mixed in made it much more interesting. Along with a sudden large spike in her spiritual pressure the tiny woman had unleashed with a shout of 'limit release', this had resulted in a surprising challenge, even if she was having a difficult time truly holding her own.

 _Tier might even have a good time with this. Then again, she does actually have a weapon…_

The blade skated off his forearm once more, locking with the claws on the other hand afterwards – he was startled to see the anger in the Shinigami's eyes had faded away, her mouth opening. She hesitated before speaking.

"What is your name, Hollow?"

His brow furrowed. Of all the things he had expected from her, this wasn't one of them.

"Shin," he said, wary and slightly hopeful of any more tricks she might pull out – she hadn't disappointed him yet.

"And was that your name in life?"

 _What's she getting at?_

"I've got the Hollow equivalent of amnesia, so no."

Shin saw her eyes widen ever so slightly, and he stepped back. "What's this about?" he demanded, already itching to resume the fight; anything to distract him from the issue at hand.

The tip of her blade wavered at the question, descending to hang at her side a moment later. Shin watched it fall, feeling the strangest sense of déjà vu. Her next words set his blood on fire.

"I believe I may have known you."

 _Impossible._

The knee-jerk reaction was the only thing he could think of. The chances alone…

 _ **Then why have you been holding back?**_

The whispers had returned, and without thinking he responded, clinging to any refuge as his thoughts whirled.

 _All I wanted_ _was to make this fight last as long as possible._

 _ **You had plenty of chances to**_ _ **hit her harder. Every other weak Shinigami here that you ripped apart can attest to that.**_

 _But I've no idea who the hell she is_.

 _ **If that was true, you wouldnt recognize her.**_

A hazy image of an unusually wide, toothy smile appeared in his head.

 ** _And you_ _do recognize that woman...don't you?_**

Shin forced himself to look at her, unconsciously searching. Raven-black hair, a calm but uncertain gaze. She wore the typical uniform of the Soul Reapers well, though…

 _The badge on her arm is new._

He staggered at the realization, the familiarity striking his fragile mind like a bullet.

"Who...?" was all he managed to croak out, though the situation had appeared to affect her as dramatically as it had him.

"My…my name is Rukia Kuchiki."

With a flash he was suddenly inside a memory, and through the shock Shin realized it was his own.

 _A dark and shadowed street, blood clearly visible on the pavement even in the moonlight streaming down._

 _A crumbling hole in the nearby building – his home – gaped open, several faint silhouettes inside._

 _He was sprawled out on the road, lifeblood gushing out from a horrific bite across his entire torso, limbs bent at unnatural angles. His mind fading, he could see the same woman. She was staring at him from across the street, sorrow evident in her eyes. She had tried to save him…_

"…My name." Shin said quietly, the question seeming apparent. The Shinigami, Rukia, struggled with some internal conflict for a brief moment.

Then she spoke.

O--O--O

Rukia said the name, quietly, hoping against all hope that she was still wrong.

The Hollow's glowing yellow eyes shut. He fell to his knees, and she felt his reiatsu suddenly vanish.

An instant later, a jagged fissure ran down the center of his mask with an ear-splitting crack.

And the world erupted into crimson light.

 **\--The Seireitei, First Division Hall—**

Seven captains of the Court Guard Squads stood to the sides of the hall, resplendent in their white Haori. Their lieutenants and a large group of other Shinigami kept a respectable distance behind them, doing their best not to be the first to break the stifling silence that had fallen since the last report.

At the head of the chamber, Genryuusai Yamamoto leaned on his worn wooden cane, deep in thought.

The last report from the scouts and the research division was that the odd interference stopping them from forming a Senkaimon near the incident had finally been breached. The few survivors from the attack that had returned had reported the same; they had been unable to create a portal back to the Soul Society until they had reached a sufficient distance from the fight.

The Captain Commander had immediately ordered an investigation and had as many available personnel from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads gather.

Captain Komamura of the Seventh Division stood to his left, a full head and shoulders above the norm, covered as per usual from head to toe with massive armored gauntlets and a cylindrical bucket helmet. He noticed Yamamoto's eyes, inclining his head in quiet deference.

Next to him, in a rather drastic difference of height, Captain Soifon of the Second Division and the leader of the Secret Corps had her arms folded, eyes constantly scanning the room, an unbecoming scowl permanently affixed to her fine features. Every so often anonymous and indistinguishable black-robed personnel appeared with a soft noise next to her, murmuring a few words into her ear before vanishing once more.

The head of the medical section and the Fourth Division of the Seireitei, Captain Unohana, was the last on his left. Hands held at her front atop her long braid of hair, she affected a calm and relaxed air; though he could still detect traces of concern whenever Soifon's scouts left without any real news.

To the Commanders right, Captain Zaraki of the Eleventh squad was tapping his foot impatiently, the tiny bells on the ends of his flashily spiked hair ringing softly with each movement. With the news of this unusual Hollow, the volatile man had nearly disobeyed orders to go charging out alone.

Captain Hitsugaya was the next in line, and while young in appearance, he did appear to be holding his composure better than most in the room. One ice-blue eye opened at the Commanders survey, glancing his way curiously. A tiny shake of his grizzled head had the young man resuming his silent vigil.

Standing next to him was by far the most unusual member of the Seireitei, Captain Kurotsuchi. With an odd side-sweeping headdress and pastel-white features, the head of the Thirteenth Division and the science team cut a distinctive figure as he toyed with some sort of device in his long-fingered hands.

The final was Captain Kuchiki of the Sixth Division, decorative sash adorning the top of his white coat. No emotion showed in either his stance or features; surprising, considering his own sister was still unaccounted for.

With a clatter, the doors of the hall swung open, three separate members of the reconnaissance squad darting forwards to kneel in front of the assembled forces.

"Your reports," he grumbled out, not willing to waste any time with formalities.

"Sir!" they said in perfect chorus.

"All signs of Hollow activity have ceased in the targeted area."

"The bodies of the deceased have been recovered."

The third didn't speak immediately, seeming to glance towards Byakuya apprehensively.

"Lieutenant Kuchiki is still missing, sir. Her Zanpakuto was found near where she was last seen. I have already confirmed that it is still tied to the Lieutenant, but no trace of her spiritual pressure remained at the site."

The man produced a rolled bundle of cloth from somewhere in his robes, tugging open the ties holding it together to reveal Rukia's weapon nestled in its folds. The blade was scorched and chipped, but still intact.

The appearance of the Zanpakuto provided both a relief and a sobering question to all in the room. The Lieutenant was clearly still alive, but where? No Shinigami would ever willingly leave their weapon behind.

The front doors clattered open once more to reveal Akon, panting from exertion.

"Apologies, Captain Commander, but-"

"Unnecessary. What have you found?"

With a quick glance towards Kurotsuchi, who rolled his eyes rather disdainfully, he straightened out of his half-bow.

"We were able to detect the anomaly just like in the Northern region last week." Akon placed a tiny round sphere on the floor, which began to project a glowing image in the air much like the monitors in his own lab. It showed the very same overlay as before as well, the blue grid showing distinct spikes in spiritual pressure. The time lapse started, and all in the room could see a small green dot with Rukia Kuchiki's name hovering over it intersecting with a large red marker, labeled only 'unknown'.

Several in the room gasped as the red icon suddenly ballooned out, nearly wide enough to encompass the entire visible map. A moment later, a minute in actual time, the red shrank very slightly, then suddenly vanished along with the Lieutenant's icon. Where they had been remained a single square symbol flashing with an entirely different signature with strange letters hovering over it, before that too disappeared. Akon rewound it slightly so that the strange marker was frozen in place. His own captain stepped closer, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"If I'm not mistaken, and I seriously doubt that I am, that appears to be a Garganta."

Akon nodded solemnly, murmurs spreading through the room's occupants.

Yamamoto raised one wrinkled hand to silence the chatter, motioning for the man to continue. Wiping his horned forehead tiredly, Akon went on. "Once the gate closed, all traces of Lieutenant Kuchiki's reiatsu vanished. We can surmise she's now in Hueco Mundo, but…"

"But we cannot yet open the Garganta ourselves," Captain Kurotsuchi finished, looking displeased at the statement.

Many eyes fell upon Byakuya at the words, who didn't seem to react more than to turn very slightly towards the Commander.

Yamamoto examined the dark-haired man as he spoke, his full station seeming to weigh him down with what he had to say. "Even so, we cannot risk a venture into that dark world. Not with such an unknown factor to deal with."

The captain stared at him for a brief moment before giving the slightest of nods, eyes closing.

 _My condolences, young Kuchiki._

"Raise the security around the Seireitei to maximum alert," he barked, sending the room into a buzz of activity. "Captain Kurotsuchi, analyze what you can with the data available and continue your research into the Garganta immediately." The pale man strode off without a word, Akon following closely behind.

"Recall all outbound squads as well, I will not have any more unnecessary casualties."

A choir of 'yes, commander' rang out and the majority of the room dispersed quickly, Zaraki in particular looking annoyed and restless as he stomped out. Yamamoto sat back on his chair, exhaling heavily, hands kneading the top of his cane.

 _I'd thought myself past having to sacrifice the young…foolish._

His own Lieutenant, Sasakibe, stepped to his side. They traded a meaningful look before the other aged man took his leave, likely to organize the returning parties. The Commander watched him go, letting a rare sigh part his beard.

"May all possible luck be with you, Rukia Kuchiki."

 _ **Author Note:**_

 _I fucked up!_

 _So_ _, as several people mentioned in the comments (thank you), I didn't make the power scale in that last fight with Rukia very clear. A fairly simple mistake, as the writer I sometimes feel like the details I have set in my mind make it to the actual chapter when they, uh...don't. Not always, at least._

 _Again_ _, my mistake. I have now edited that part slightly for clarity. And for more clarity, as I did have my friend/editor ask about this as well, you can consider the Seireitei around the same level as they were at the start of the Hueco Mundo arc in canon Bleach. Rukia wasn't stuck in a weird gigai all this time, she's been training, etc, etc._

 _Another thing_ _, I will definitely be putting that bold note at the start of the chapters that I go back to, mainly for typos and consistency updates._

 _I still_ _want to work on chapter 4. Definitely could use some tuning._


	12. Chapter 12

_I'm alive! And wouldn't you know it, it's been too damn long. My bad._

 _For_ _one thing, I'd started writing this with the intention of it being a sort of 'interlude', focusing on events that weren't necessarily required for the main story progression. I kept going under that idea for a while, then got incredibly stuck when I realized it actually was kinda important._ _So_ _, uh...oops._

Anyways _, here ya go. This was meant to be out nearly a month ago, but I suppose a new years eve release isn't too bad._ _Happy_ _Holidays to all, (whatever you happen to celebrate) and I'll see you next year._

 **Chapter 12:**

"Oh no…where did the Captain go…?"

Lieutenant Hinamori was trotting around the Fifth Division barracks anxiously, head bobbing as she peered into each open doorway. She startled several younger division members as she swept around a corner, bowing and stammering out apologies before continuing her search.

"I don't get it," she murmured to herself, leaving behind yet another empty room. "I thought the new orders were to be available at any time, not disappear without a word…"

"Hinamori?"

Momo let out a strangled squeal, whirling to see the man in question standing behind her, sporting a nonplussed expression at her indignation.

"Why do none of the captains make noise when they walk around?!"

Captain Aizen, a kindly-looking man with ruffled brown hair and thick-rimmed glasses, gave her a wry smile in response. "An unfortunate side effect of being old and cautious, I'm afraid."

Properly mollified, Momo visibly calmed her racing pulse with one hand to her chest, sighing lightly. "I'm sorry, Captain. You vanished so quickly after the report and I panicked a little…"

"Perfectly understandable." The older man nodded, turning and motioning for her to follow. "I had some urgent business come up, but luckily it didn't last very long."

Aizen glanced back just in time to catch a curious look from his lieutenant, chuckling. "A bit of…preparation, if you will. Making sure certain plans are still in effect with everything going on."

Inside, she was glad that he didn't appear too worried about the situation with Rukia – he had made a second request to the Captain Commander to attempt to breach the entrance into Hueco Mundo, only to be rejected again, resulting in the darkest mood Momo had ever seen him in, but he seemed to be fine now.

 _I was worrying about nothing._

Momo smiled to herself, following along at her captain's side loyally. Something caught her eye as he turned a corner, and she glanced away for a brief instant. Seeing nothing, she turned back-

"…Um, Captain?"

"Hm?"

Aizen turned to face her, raising a brow curiously. She stared for a moment, rubbing her eyes in confusion. "I thought you had disappeared again…I'm sorry, I must be tired or something."

She missed the faintest flicker of an unknown emotion in the man's eyes as he smiled again, placing one warm hand gently atop her head. "You should get some rest, then. We may be rather busy in the near future, I can't have you falling asleep on me in a time of crisis."

Aizen laughed at her pout, waving back over his shoulder as he strode away purposefully. "That's an order, Hinamori. I'll be in my study for a while."

"Yes, Captain."

Even if it was out of the corner of her eye, seeing someone's silhouette waver like a mirage couldn't be a good sign for her health.

Momo sighed again, stepping towards her quarters tiredly.

 _I just hope nothing bad happens while I'm asleep…_

O--O--O

"Ah, there you are."

Izuru Kira looked up from his paperwork curiously to see his captain striding up, his constantly smiling face somewhat of a comfort with recent events. "Captain Ichimaru. I'm sorry, were you looking for me?"

The other man waved one hand casually, thin lips smiling slightly wider. "No no, nothing urgent, don't worry. Anything unusual pop up?"

"No, not yet sir."

Ichimaru shrugged at that, leaning against a nearby wall. "Well that's annoying. With all the hubbub around here, you'd think something exciting would happen, right?"

Izuru fought back a smile at his Captain's clear signs of boredom. "I don't mean to sound like a coward, but I'd rather nothing happen at all, sir."

They shared a quick laugh, lapsing into a comfortable silence afterwards. Still working on his reports, he couldn't help but sneak a couple glances at the leader of the third division as he wrote.

Kira knew well enough the opinions of most other Souls Reapers on Captain Gin Ichimaru; carefree, untrustworthy, always up to something. While it was true his standard methods left something to be desired, Kira had never had reason to doubt his commanding officer's judgement. Many found the man's snakelike features to be unsettling, yet for years Kira had found an odd comfort in his unchanging demeanor in the face of whatever he encountered.

"Hey, Kira."

Startled from his thoughts, he blinked at his captain. "Sir?"

"Aren't you bored of that paperwork by now?"

"Er…no?"

"Ah, come on. Let's go for a walk or something."

"Our orders-"

"Were to be ready to respond, I know. C'mon, we'll just be on a patrol around the perimeter of the Seireitei. Besides, you look like you need some fresh air."

"…You always say that, Captain."

The man raised one thin eyebrow.

 _And he's usually right, too._

"Hah...alright, sir."

Gin's smile spread wider at that, already stepping to the door. Moving to follow, Kira took one last glance at the other man as he stood.

"If I didn't know better, Captain, I'd say you were expecting something."

"Hmm? Well..." Gin tossed a look back before tapping one long finger to his nose knowingly. "I guess you could call it a hunch."

O--O--O

Flitting over the shingled rooftops of the Seirieitei's outer limits, Captain Soifon's eyes methodically scanned the area, down to every last bird in the sky.

She had taken Commander Yamamoto's instructions very literally, scattering her scouts and stealth forces all throughout the Soul Society as swiftly as possible. Every so often, one would appear nearby with a report, but so far nothing had appeared out of place.

It struck her as odd.

Why would the Captain Commander order all forces to assemble if not in preparation for an attack? Would they not be better served to spread out among the nearby residential areas to respond to any threat?

 _Something more is going on here. Something that the Commander suspects._

"But what could it be?" She muttered, brows knitting together. With hardly a noise, she perched nimbly on one of the taller structures, scanning the horizon once more. Seeing nothing, she allowed herself to exhale slowly, feeling her shoulders loosen from their tense stance the slightest amount.

 _"You need to relax more, Soifon."_

Snorting at an old memory, she glanced around just as one of her black-clad men appeared nearby. He fell to one knee, panting from exertion.

"Captain…in the western Rukongai, it's…!"

Soifon clicked her tongue in irritation and squinted into the distance, the blurry outline of the ragtag suburbs barely visible from where she stood.

 _Damn._

O--O--O

With the clanging alarms ringing out, the calm demeanor of the Seireitei was shattered. Groups of Soul Reapers were seen clustering around the perimeter, several larger gatherings dashing through the residences of the nearer Rukon.

High above, a white-haired boy soared over and past the detachment with casual ease, captain's Haori flapping in the wind. Skillfully landing and sliding along a tiled rooftop, he propelled himself another mile in a single leap, continuing to beeline towards the disturbance. A shout from behind had him glancing back with cool turquoise eyes as another Shinigami sped to catch up, silky mane of blond hair streaming out behind her shapely form like a ribbon.

"Rangiku."

Landing on another rooftop, they launched off at the same time as the woman frowned up at him. "You left me behind again!"

Visibly suppressing an annoyed response, the captain of the Tenth Division only scowled to himself, gaze fixed ahead. "There was no time, I had no idea where you were."

Rangiku sent him a similar scowl, her sculpted features hardly marred with the gesture. "I was in the barracks finishing the paperwork that you refused to help me with."

"You mean after I took half of your stack yesterday?"

Toushiro let a small smirk out at her outraged sputtering, keeping most of his attention on their path. His lieutenant noticed after a moment, sighing resignedly. "So what are we running into here?"

"No idea," he admitted, skirting to the side of a small lake in the center of another cluster of homes. "From the report, Kuchiki was able to hold this thing off for a while, so a Captain or two should be more than enough."

"…Big Kuchiki or little Kuchiki?"

Toushiro ignored her.

"The problem is how we contain it," he said, making a point to keep on track. "Every account says this Hollow is exceedingly fast, and apparently has high-speed regeneration to boot. I was thinking my ice might be able to stop that, but…"

He trailed off, one hand going back to trace the hilt of his zanpakuto in thought. Rangiku hummed, a finger on her lips. "Its whether you can actually manage to catch it, right?"

Toushiro nodded, eyes narrowing. "If it comes to that, I want you to retreat as far and as fast as possible, Matsumoto."

She blinked at his deadly serious tone, agreeing a moment later; she'd seen what his abilities could do if left unchecked.

Within a short time they hit the outer limits of the primary Rukon, the sprawling suburbs now broken by wide expanses of forests and fields, small gatherings of rustic houses and shantytowns dotting the landscape. Landing, they swiveled in some confusion, trading cautious looks.

"This is the spot, right?" Rangiku muttered, one hand fixed to the hilt of her weapon as she scanned the ramshackle houses nearby. Toushiro nodded silently.

"Besides that...where are all the townspeople?"

She had barely finished the question before a massive explosion rocked the area, several of the weaker buildings collapsing from the force. An instant later the young captain had to grab hold of his lieutenant, leaping away as the cluster of buildings they had been in was annihilated by a blinding flash of red energy.

Rangiku motioned she was fine, if slightly shaken, and he leapt towards the source of the attack. Reaching out, Toushiro finally sensed the Hollow nearly a mile ahead; the cero had carved a smoking fissure into the landscape all the way from where he could see its horned silhouette rising into the air amid another cluster of dwellings.

He went to draw his zanpakuto, halting in surprise as another form lunged out from behind the structures, bell-laden hair and jagged sword clearly visible.

"Zaraki?" He breathed in shock, skidding to halt in midair. Toushirou glanced back to the Seireitei in some consternation.

 _How…?_

"How did he beat us here?" He jumped slightly at the sudden interruption into his own thoughts, whipping around to a nearby tree to see Soifon hidden under it's shaded canopy, hardly visible to even his keen eyes. "I was just wondering the same thing," she continued, clearly having seen his confusion.

Toushiro recovered some, releasing his weapon as they both watched the Eleventh Captain clash with the strange Hollow, the clanging of metal and the Soul Reaper's savage laughter clearly audible. He stepped down to the grassy plains, feeling restless all the same. Glancing back to the destroyed cluster of houses, he quickly realized the earlier blast must have been aimed at the Captain already fighting the creature.

"Are we not going to help? That Hollow was reported to be unusually powerful."

"Hmph. Have you ever tried to get between a wild animal and its prey?"

The younger captain chuckled. "Do you mean Zaraki or the Hollow?"

The hint of a smile threatened to lift one corner of her mouth at the joke. After another long pause of observation, Soifon crossed her arms, giving him a searching look.

"…What?"

The female captain snorted softly, tip-toeing her way out to the edge of the branch she stood on. "I was under the impression you were more observant than that, Hitsugaya."

Holding back a wave of irritation at her words, he settled for scouring the battle still raging on, the area around, and anything else he could think of. Frowning, Toushiro finally admitted nothing stood out. He received a resigned shrug from his peer as she hopped down. "Observation is my specialty, so I suppose I can't be too annoyed with you."

 _The nerve on this one…_

She strode closer, still keeping a wary eye on the fight. "Do you not find anything odd about what's been happening? And I don't just mean in the Seireitei itself."

Toushiro blinked, arms crossing in thought. Certainly, recent events had taken a fairly unusual turn, but her words seemed to indicate there was something more. Some sort of pattern, maybe?

"Nothing stands out. At least, nothing more than a few strange incidents," he admitted. "A strong Hollow, a missing Soul Reaper…as much as I hate to say it, we see reports of such things every several months."

Soifon gave a nod in agreement, a bitter expression flitting across her face at the thought. "And yet, the Captain Commander called for a withdrawal from all fronts."

"You think he knows something more than we do?"

"Of course he does," she scoffed. "He isn't the leader of the entire Seireitei for nothing. The question is _what_ , and I do not like the implications."

His full attention taken over by her deathly serious tone, he turned to ask more only to be interrupted by another arrival - Ichimaru Gin and his subordinate.

"Iyaaa, they're really going at it," The man exclaimed cheerfully, shading his eyes with one hand as another building nearer to the fight collapsed with a groan of splintering wood.

Kira watched the ongoing conflict as well, sighing almost in resignation. "Is this what you had a feeling about, Captain?"

"Beats me, a hunch is just a hunch sometimes. Ain't that right, Soifon?"

Toushiro saw her expression tighten at their fellow captains overly-casual remarks, and she huffed in annoyance. "I wouldn't know."

Gin made an odd humming laugh, thin lips pressed together in his typical smile, hands disappearing into his sleeves as he hopped up to perch on the nearby tree. Soifon turned to leave, clearly under the impression she was no longer required to stay with another captain present.

As she passed Toushiro, he felt the tiniest brush of something against his fingers before she vanished with a blur the next moment.

Against his immediate urge to look down, he closed the hand around a tiny rolled piece of paper he found there, turning away from Ichimaru in the tree just enough to block vision of his palm and peering down:

'Zaraki already here'

Concealing the note, he once again gazed out towards the man in question, who could be seen in the distance still clashing against the Hollow – a small part of him was surprised to see it wasn't dead yet.

Does she mean that Zaraki was already in the area before the Hollow appeared?

Toushirou surreptitiously looked up to Gin, still in the tree and watching the fight, and Kira standing at it's base.

 _Soifon clearly doesn't want Ichimaru to know. Besides, an area like this isn't often patrolled, so then why was Zaraki even here in the first place?_

A cold feeling grew in his chest, which he consciously responded to by letting a trickle of his spiritual energy course into his hand, freezing every atom of the note until he crushed it with a quick twist, the remains fading into dust. Folding his arms again, he resolved himself to keep a watchful eye on the Third Division.

Only one thing was certain to the young captain: something more was going on underneath the surface.

O--O--O

Sajin Komamura stood atop one of the tallest white towers in the Seireitei, copper-colored eyes searching the horizon intently behind the slits of his helmet. He couldn't see the ongoing battle, not directly, but if he strained with his outer senses…just barely…

"I'd never taken you for much of a birdwatcher, old friend."

Ears flicking in surprise under the helm, he turned slowly. "Tousen."

The captain of the Ninth Division rose into sight with a gentle hop, touching down on the rooftop nearby. Komamura glanced back the way he had been looking before, noticing a flock of birds far in the distance making their way across the skyline; he'd been staring straight past them without realizing. Releasing a rumbling chuckle at the supposedly 'blind' man's propensity for seeing, he shrugged helplessly. "It seems I'm searching too much, and not realizing what already lies in my sight." Tousen smiled at the jest, joining Komamura at the lip of the roof.

"…I can sense it," he murmured after a long moment. "Zaraki is still fighting the beast, though…it appears Captains Ichimaru and Hitsugaya are also nearby."

"Impressive," Komamura admitted. "I can only make out the tiniest details from this distance." The large man shifted slightly under his robes; even with the assurance that several captains were already present, he could not help but feel uneasy.

The Soul Society had seen a long period of relative peace within the last hundred years; the occasional Hollow or other incursion had been quickly repelled, and no major incidents had reared their head…until recent years.

First was the disappearance of Captain Isshin Shiba of the Tenth Division; an incredibly capable man and a member of the once-honored Shiba clan, Komamura had only met the charismatic person a few brief times before he mysteriously vanished…and with him, so had the sightings and rumors of multiple Shinigami not returning from missions to the mortal realm. No trace of either the culprit or the captain had ever been found, the issue had been assumed resolved, Captain Shiba was mourned, and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads had never had any reason to investigate the matter further.

But what if that case all those years ago was related to this strange Hollow?

Komamura could not help but find the similarities strange; Soul Reapers, some of those very skilled fighters in their own right, found slaughtered…and more to the point, uneaten. Many without showing even a sign of resistance.

In addition, for nearly two decades there had been odd reports of patrols coming across towns all across the Human world that had been attacked by what seemed to be multiple Hollows at the same time, hunting and killing dozens in a single day, and vanishing before a patrol from the Seireitei arrived on scene. Initially, the signs of these organized raids had caused an uproar in the Soul Society; Hollows banding together for any reason was never a matter to be taken lightly.

Eventually, with no actual sightings of these packs of Hollows, it was generally accepted that these were unusual, but not an urgent concern; anomalies, possibly just one unusually powerful Hollow roaming to each town or city, then moving on. Most expected that a group would one day encounter the thing and exterminate it then and there…but it never actually appeared, nor did the seemingly random attacks stop. Sometimes there would be nearly a year until another attack came, and other times where they would seem to come multiple times within a single month.

And still no sightings or evidence was to be found.

Finally, only with the most recent report, was a group of Hollows encountered. The loss of nearly two dozen Soul Reapers and the disappearance of one of their most promising lieutenants had finally shown results. This distinctively-horned Hollow had torn through their ranks like so much chaff before Lieutenant Kuchiki held the beast at bay.

Many who heard the report had overlooked the most frightening thing; according to eyewitnesses, the Hollow had only engaged the compliment of Shinigami once the rest of it's group had fallen back through a portal to Hueco Mundo. Cinching proof that these Hollows were not only working together, but were organized enough to follow orders from a more powerful being sent a cold ripple flowing up Komamura's spine.

"There are no such things as coincidences…" He grumbled, forgetting Tousen standing nearby. The dark-skinned man tilted his head curiously, eyes inscrutable behind his visor. Komamura shook his head slowly, mind returning to the situation at hand.

"It's nothing, Kaname, my mind wandered off for a time. How does the battle fare?"

The other captain turned his head slightly. "Still raging I fear, though that may be due to Zaraki's influence...wait…" Tousen's brow furrowed and he leaned forwards slightly. "Impossible…"

"What is it?"

"Captain Zaraki has been struck down."

Komamura's mind whirled and he stared towards the battle in shock. "We must intervene! Come, Tousen!"

He made to leap off of the tower, only to be stopped by his friends outstretched hand. "Wait, Komamura. There is something else, closer…"

The huge Captain's lips had barely parted in a question before the structure of the tower shuddered, a massive explosion from nearby sending rubble streaking past them like missiles. Komamura deflected several instinctively with his armored hands before staring down in shock. From where he stood, he could just see the side of Soukyoku Hill through the smoke and clouds of dust; and more worryingly, the massive crater now carved into the steeper portion of the cliffs.

"An attack?!" Komamura gaped down, unable to believe his own eyes. Swiveling back towards the distant battle, he strained with every fiber of his being.

 _No, the Hollow is still far from the Seireitei…then what…?_

He heard a slight scuff on the stone from behind. "I see," Tousen murmured, something resembling regret tinging his voice.

"Tousen?"

Komamura heard the rasping noise of steel being drawn before the entire world vanished into inky blackness, every sound muted into a suffocating, oppressive silence.

O--O--O

"Captain Commander!"

Yamamoto turned sharply at the shout, seeing another of the reconnaissance squad appear nearby. The man knelt swiftly, panting for breath before speaking. "Captain Tousen's Bankai has been sighted atop the Seireitei!"

The scout glanced up after the declaration, paling at the expression on the commander's face before he was waved away, vanishing with the soft noise of a shunpo.

Yamamoto continued on his path out of the First Division barracks, any in his way scattering in panic.

Suddenly, he stopped.

Squinting, he held his wooden cane to the side, it's form shifting and fading away into the shape of his zanpakuto; in a blindingly swift attack, he drew it and slashed forwards, wisps of fire curling around the blade.

 _CLANG_

With a jarring impact and a bell-like noise, the weapon bounced off of thin air.

"Hmph."

Channeling another surge of power, the entire length of his zanpakuto was enveloped in fire, surging forwards with the intensity of a furnace – to no effect, the power washing over a flat, invisible surface. Scowling under his beard, the Captain Commander tapped it several times, the faint outline of some sort of wall appearing with each touch of his spiritual pressure. Under scrutiny, whatever it was extended both underground and curved above the entirety of the barracks.

With his experienced eye, Yamamoto could tell that while the barrier was incredibly durable, whether a type of Kido or otherwise, enough power would be able to break through. However…

 _Any technique of mine powerful enough would wash back into the rest of the barrier, and with the rest of the Division also present…I cannot guarantee their safety._

Heaving a long breath, Yamamoto leaned back onto his wooden cane, now reformed around his sword.

 _Someone has planned this well, whatever their objective._

Another long sigh made the ends of his beard flutter in annoyance.

 _…how impudent._

O--O--O

Toushiro's fingers tightened on the handle of his drawn zanpakuto, resigned to being the bystander in the fight between Captain Ichimaru and the horned Hollow.

Zaraki had, to their immense surprise, been hurled away by the creature in a bloody blur of movement, rushing their direction immediately afterwards. Ichimaru had intercepted it, an unusually serious expression on his snakelike features as they clashed. Even then the captain had nearly faltered several seconds into the fight as an incredibly loud noise came from the direction of the Seireitei, a haze of dust and smoke visible even from their location.

Were it not for the sheer distance, Toushirou would have immediately headed back; logic finally winning over his initial instinct, he realized that he had to ensure the Hollow had to be stopped at all costs. The rest of the Court Guard Squads would have to handle whatever was going on.

Gritting his teeth at the thought, Toushiro darted around the fight to where Zaraki was still sprawled out on the cobblestones. The Eleventh Captain's robes were slashed and shredded from the Hollow's claws, blood still seeping out from his myriad wounds and coating nearly every inch of visible skin. As his fellow Captain scanned him over, Zaraki managed to hack out a ragged wheeze, albeit as painfully as anyone had ever seen him make.

"You fool, Kenpachi." Toushiro muttered, trying not to wince at the damage the other man had received. "You should have just killed the damned thing, not played your idiotic games with it."

To his concern no response was forthcoming, and he rose urgently, reaching into his robes to find his communicator.

 _Even if I can't leave this place, hopefully a squad from the Fourth Division can make it out here in time._

An earsplitting screech had him whirling around to see the Hollow soar into a neighboring building with a thunderous crash, the glint of Ichimaru's zanpakuto stretching in between the two combatants. It snapped into it's normal shape in the Soul Reaper's hands an instant later, Ichimaru watching the rubble with deadly intensity.

"Keep an eye on this one, Hitsugaya," he stated, no trace of the usual levity in his voice. "Zaraki didn't lose to it by chance."

As if to prove his point the Hollow erupted out of the collapsed buildings, a glowing red orb humming ominously in each clawed hand. They both raised their blades in readiness as the beast charged them, roaring in fury.

O--O--O

Hardly a thing could be seen through the haze that enveloped the center of the Seireitei in choking clouds of dust.

A single form moved through the gloom, seemingly untouched by the grime, white robes seamlessly clean. It stepped closer to the cliffs of Soukyoku Hill, picking through the rubble almost delicately. It leaned over slightly at several limp bodies sprawled among the rocks, long black braid of hair waving gracefully. Finding no signs of life, it moved closer to the epicenter. Approaching a gaping wound in the sheer rock wall, it paused, seeing another in white appear out if the hole; the newcomer spoke.

"Captain Unohana."

The captain of the Fourth Division raised her head at the greeting, smooth features as calm as always as she identified the other. "…Captain Aizen."

The man in question hopped down to the ground easily, an unusually sour expression behind his glasses. "There's nothing up there, just some man-made cave and an odd little hot spring. Nothing that would cause such an detonation, not that I could find. Have you seen the Captain Commander?"

"No. I have only found those injured nearby and had them sent for medical attention."

"Good, good." Aizen said offhandedly, already beginning to stride away.

"…You seem distracted."

The man turned from his path, peering back curiously. "Of course I'm distracted, what with this rogue Hollow in the outskirts and this mess? What a silly thing to say!"

"That is not what I meant," she replied softly, but with enough force to stop her peer in his tracks.

The air seemed to chill, and suddenly Unohana bore witness to a startling change in Aizen's demeanor. The feeling of his reiatsu shifted, and she felt a seeping coldness there that she had never before seen in the years that Aizen had been in service. He straightened from his purposeful stance ever so slightly, and once he shifted to face her even she was shocked to see the cool, almost disdainful expression on his features. A thin-lipped smile appeared there, as if waiting for her to continue.

"I thought it odd that a single threat, no matter how powerful, would draw most of our forces out of the Seireitei," Unohana said slowly, as if mulling the words over herself. "Four or five captains at least, and many of the lieutenants have been drawn out by the beast, no? For a mere Hollow? And at the peak of the lowest security seen in the Seireitei itself in decades, this disturbance appears. It seemed too convenient to me."

She shifted, hands hidden away inside of the sleeves of her Haori. "What are you plotting, Aizen?"

He let out a humorless laugh at her accusatory words. "No 'captain'? So rude. What exactly-"

"Silence."

Unohana's eyes had narrowed, her own power seeping out in a way that would have left lesser beings trembling in fear, the taste and smell of blood saturating her reiatsu. Aizen simply regarded her with a cool expression, all traces of humor gone. After a moment of this the sensation disappeared, Unohana regaining her calmer disposition. "You will finish your business here, Aizen, and then you will be gone from the Soul Society. You are no longer welcome here."

Aizen raised one brow. "That's it?"

"My purpose here is to heal the injured. If you seek to cause any more strife today, only then will I be your opponent." The other captain regarded her with a distant sort of wariness, finally turning away and vanishing without another word.

Unohana released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, glancing up to the very top of the Seireitei's towers just in time to see the inky-black bubble of Captain Tousen's Bankai dissipate. A minute later three tiny silhouettes converged high above at the Soukyoku; without a sound, a pillar of light cracked through the sky, enveloping the three as they lifted away from the ground.

Shaking her head ever so slightly, she brought her communicator out of one sleeve. "All teams, please report."

Several voices crackles out of the device:

"Ma'am, the survivors of the explosion are all accounted for and stable."

"Third team, we have just reached Captain Komamura, now proceeding to emergency first aid."

"Urgent response team here. We've arrived at Captain Hitsugaya's location as per his request, but…"

She frowned. "What is it?"

The man over the line paused awkwardly before proceeding. "Captain, we aren't entirely sure what happened. When we got here, Captains Ichimaru and Hitsugaya were engaging the enemy, while Captain Zaraki was heavily injured nearby. We attempted to begin his treatment, but he just…disappeared."

Unohana blinked as he went on, sounding bewildered.

"The body faded away, and the Hollow blurred and turned out to be Zaraki himself; the captain of the Third Division, Ichimaru, also vanished at the same time. Zaraki nearly had to be restrained so we could begin to heal his injuries, though thankfully he wasn't nearly as hurt as expected. Captain Hitsugaya can't seem to make sense of what happened either."

She clearly remembered the abilities demonstrated by Aizen's zanpakuto, 'Kyoka Suigetsu'. Using moisture in the air, it could conjure visions to deceive and trick an opponent, mirages as convincing as reality. But they were believed to be just that, and were no more durable as the water vapor they were formed from; this was something else entirely.

 _In the end, the man was a traitor. Who knows what else he was concealing._

Another thought occurred to her. "Was there any sign of Rukia Kuchiki?"

A despondent 'no' came crackling through the line at the question as she bent over a larger piece of stone, wrenched from the side of the cliff; and more importantly, the blood and soot-coated arm extending from underneath. Feeling the lack of a pulse from the limb, the Captain whispered a silent prayer for the poor soul and moved on.

"Continue your work there," Unohana instructed, already stepping towards the First Division barracks in hopes of finding the Captain Commander. "I must secure the Seireitei, return as swiftly as you can."

"Yes, Captain."

Nimbly picking her way through the rubble, another disconcerting thought came to mind; if the reports were true, Aizen himself had not only defected, but had taken both Ichimaru and Tousen with him as well. And beyond even that, the manner of their exodus was exceedingly unnatural. No Soul Reaper had ever been inside the technique known as 'Negación', only Hollows and their kind. To begin with, only Menos Grande had ever been seen using it to rescue other Hollows that were in danger.

A single glance back to the sky showed the jagged scar from the dimensional fissure healed back to normal – the only thing still out of place was the gaping crater in the side of Soukyoku Hill.

Recalling her own brief observations, the fragments of a mysterious type of concealed Kido barrier had been present around the hole and the cavern discovered within. Unohana hadn't seen what it had been concealing, but she knew that Aizen must have had to retrieve something, and the barrier must have proved more resilient than even he had been able to deal with covertly, requiring the distraction of a 'Hollow' appearing in the outskirts of the Rukon.

She shook her head, clearly seeing the facts available, but also realizing that something else was happening, critical pieces of information missing.

 _More questions will have to wait. I can only pray that nothing else happens before the Seireitei can recover…_

O--O--O

Momo stirred groggily from her sleep, peeling her eyelids open with no small amount of effort. She mumbled something along the lines of 'murgle' as she sat up, random strands of hair hanging over her bleary eyes. After several moments spent resisting the urge to fall back down into the warm embrace if her futon, she swiveled slowly towards the opposite wall if her room, looking at the clock there.

She blinked several times. And again.

Like a startled cat - and with a similar noise - she shot out of the bed, tossing her nightwear off and slipping her shihakushou uniform on in a split second. Less than a minute later she shot out of her room, fumbling with the lieutenant's badge on her upper arm as she ran towards the center of the Fifth Division barracks.

Sliding to a halt in front of a set of sliding wooden shoji doors, flinging one side open and bowing in the same movement.

"Captain! I'msorryIsleptsolongmyalarmdidn'twakeme…up?"

She looked to both sides of the captain's office, seeing the man in question oddly absent.

Mouth flapping like she was still attempting to apologize, she grew a rather confused expression and leaned back, glancing around the rest of the quiet hallway.

Too quiet.

Frowning, she tapped back down the corridor, looking each and every way.

Courtyard? Empty.

Dining hall? Empty.

Barracks? Empty.

Finally she came to the front gates of the entire division, a group of Shinigami milling about. She trotted over, gaining their attention. Many in the crowd traded looks as she approached.

"Does anyone know where Captain Aizen...is...?" Momo's question trailed off as one of the older members of the squad stepped closer, taking her hands in his own gently.

"Hinamori, I'm…not sure how to tell you this."

Several in the back were sporting shockingly bitter expressions as her elder spoke; though as she looked over, confused, she saw more than one shake their heads, something in their faces approaching…pity?

O--O--O

Toushiro turned at the call of his name, seeing Rangiku touch down on the grass nearby, striding up the hill. "How did it go?"

His lieutenant shook her head somberly, gazing out towards Soukyoku Hill in the distance. The clouds of dust had long since settled, the mysterious cave now open to the world.

"I told Commander Yamamoto everything, as you wanted," she said, glancing down at her superior. "I made sure he knew Captain Soifon's suspicions too."

"Did you learn anything yourself?"

Rangiku smirked. "Of course, who do you think I am? I do my job right, when it matters." Drawing a tiny smile out of the Captain at that, she went on. "From what I could gather, though some might just be hearsay, whatever Aizen wanted in that cave was shielded by more than just a normal Kido barrier; Captain Unohana guessed that it was linked to the Soukyoku."

Toushiro raised an brow, looking up from the cliffside to see the imposing halberd, easily a hundred feet tall, dominating the peak. Sure enough, if someone had managed to tap into the powerful relic to maintain a spell, no simple tinkering would be enough to penetrate it.

"So that's why he used Zaraki in the image of that Hollow to draw our forces away, he needed time to break the spell... " He mused, internally cursing at the effectiveness of the ploy. "And however he broke the barrier scattered or killed any near the actual explosion…what about the other captains?"

"Captain Soifon was still out in the Rukon, as was Captain Kyouraku. Captain Ukitake was unfortunately ill and unable to leave his quarters, while Captain Kurotsuchi was unaccounted for. The Commander wasn't particularly happy with him when I left."

Toushiro snorted softly. "And if I remember right, Kuchiki would have been stationed on the other perimeter. Of course, Captains Komamura and Tousen were to remain in the center of the city, though Tousen was also a traitor. Unbelievable." He rubbed one hand over his youthful features, somehow appearing older than usual in that instant. "With that, Gin did too. Vanished in front of my own eyes."

He heard a slight noise of agreement from Rangiku, glancing her way to see a complicated set of emotions flit through her eyes, and she looked away after a long moment.

The Captain left the matter alone; he knew enough of her past to not say any more.

They spent several minutes in quiet contemplation, watching investigative crews work over the rubble, still searching for survivors of the blast. Finally, and to his surprise, Rangiku was the first to break the silence.

"I found Hinamori."

Toushiro stiffened, but her outstretched hand and calm tone deflected his initial thoughts.

"She's uninjured. But you know how she looked up to Cap…I mean, Aizen. Her squad mates had to restrain her, she was hysterical after she found out what happened…"

Rangiku shivered at the cold rage that passed over her Captain at the news, but he managed to compose himself, heaving a long breath.

 _Add that to the long list of sins he's commited today...fuel on the fire._

"Let's go, Matsumoto," he said, icy in demeanor as he stalked away.

 _It doesn't matter what world he's run to. One day, the Seireitei will catch up to that bastard._

His hands clenched into a shaking fist, fingernails dug into his palm, almost drawing blood.

 _One day._


	13. Chapter 13

_My dear readers, I would like to personally welcome you all back to main story progression_!

 _Partially_ _because as much as I enjoyed putting that MASSIVE cliffhanger at the end of chapter 11, I did feel at least slightly guilty. After a rousing round of maniacal laughter._

 _Anyways_ _, this here is the longest chapter I've written yet, for obvious reasons: there was a lot to cover. Many things coming together at last, and of course the big 'reveal'. You all know who he was, but I hope I made it sufficiently dramatic and/or meaningful._

 _As_ _for notes, I did realize one thing that many readers may like to know: I have only watched the anime up to just after the Grimmjow fight in canon Bleach, not including the filler (the Bount arc really killed it for me). And even then, it's been quite a while. The point of saying this is because I don't remember most of the Hollow characters English/Japanese voice actors, so I apologize if my descriptions of how exactly certain people talk aren't exactly faithful to the original. I go pretty much solely off of the manga itself and the movies, the only one I've actually gone back to in recent times being the Hell Verse movie. I mean, come on. The entire focus of that was the Hollow stuff, how could I not?_

 _With that, please enjoy, and thanks as always for stopping by_

 **Chapter 13:**

Reclining on a white chaise couch, Nelliel of the Espada chewed away at one fingernail after the other, lost in thought.

Ever since Shin had returned – somehow managing to open up a garganta in the middle of her quarters – he'd locked himself in one of the higher rooms and refused to come out for any reason. Nel had only been able to catch the barest glimpse since he'd been moving so fast, but even then she had been able to tell that the young man had been able to evolve into an Arrancar, presumably due to finally recovering his human memories.

Every instinct in her body had wanted to demand answers from the stubborn man, to drag him out of that room and shake some sense into him; but she had stopped herself for several reasons. For one, she was no longer sure she had the strength available.

Running one finger up over her fractured mask, she traced the lingering scar down to where it trailed over the bridge of her nose. Even after being healed to the best of her fellow Espada's abilities, the mark remained, her mask still broken, her power somehow reduced. A Hollow's power did seem to be tied to their mask, and to Szayelaporro's knowledge some of her own strength had escaped with the terrible wound.

With that, and sensing his reiatsu even now, she could tell he was now fully capable of matching her. A feeling of both pride and annoyance swelled, warring with the other reason she couldn't bring herself to interrupt his solitude.

From what she had managed to gather, the boy – as he had appeared to only be in his late teens – hadn't gone through the same evolutionary process as every other Hollow. Instead, to her knowledge, he had violently been thrust into this life immediately after his death, instead of lingering in the mortal world as a spirit. After killing and consuming other sentient beings for months on end in Hueco Mundo, simply to keep a hold on his own dwindling sanity, to have his human memory and conscience returned?

She could only imagine what he was trying to struggle through.

The sound of heavy footsteps broke her concentration, and she looked up to see Dondochakka plodding around the corner. "We's got a visitor, Nel."

She stiffened, eyes darting down the hall where the Shinigami was still being kept. Had the barrier weakened? Nobody else should be aware of her presence…

Before she had a chance to tell the Adjucha to keep whoever it was out, the person in question stepped into sight out from behind the larger Hollow.

Nel stood slowly, the words vanishing in her surprise.

O--O--O

At the very top of Nelliel's tower, a single tiny room capped the enormous structure. Several wide windows broke the seamless white walls, showing both vast expanses of the desert outside and the gently curving dome of Las Noches on the opposite side; from their angle, pale swathes of moonlight lit up the floor, the only illumination in the otherwise shaded room. Several pieces of furniture lay about in various states of disrepair, one looking like it had been thrown against the wall with some force, split in half and splintered across the floor as it was.

Suddenly, a quiet knock came at the sole entrance.

For several moments nothing changed, then the shadows in one dark corner shifted; a dry, scratchy voice calling out, "Go away."

Another long pause followed before whoever it was knocked again. A muttered curse emanated from the corner. "Leave me alone, Nel," It demanded, voice rough and strained from disuse.

A barely audible sigh could be heard from behind the door and it was pushed open, swinging wide, a thin female form barely visible in the faint illumination. "Do I look like the Third Espada to you?"

The woman spent a moment looking around, finally flicking at a switch next to the door – to her exasperation, no lights came on in the room. Sensing a gradual increase in power from the furthest corner, the figure cautiously stayed in the arch of the doorway. "If you would care to look with more than just your eyes, you may realize who I am."

"It doesn't matter, just…just leave me alone."

She let out a dainty sniff. "Oh, so you can keep whiling away the days in self-pity?"

A feral growl emanated from the corner in response and the figure finally rose, a full head's height above the woman, and stalked closer. Resisting the urge to flee, she took one step forwards, arms carefully held to her sides. "Has the return of your memory erased everything prior, Shin? Or were we not friends?"

At that last word the figure halted. Several tense moments passed before a click sounded, a single light in the far corner revealing them both.

The man was clothed only in a ragged pair of white pants common to most humanoid Hollows in Hueco Mundo. His features were dirty, scuffed, a long torrent of bright orange hair streaming down his back in an unkempt mane. Gone were the inky black marks from his skin, now a more normal color instead of bone-white, though the Hollow hole still remained centered on his collarbone. His mask had vanished entirely with the exception of a small curved section at the right temple, sweeping back and over his ear. At it's topmost peak, the base of one of his angular horns was still present, though only the first several inches before it cut off abruptly. Additionally, his eyes no longer glowed with an unearthly light, but instead glinted a bright yellow.

The woman wore a long, simple white dress, very nearly covering a pair of heeled black shoes. Two black belts were fastened at her slender hips, crossing over each other in an 'X'; those and a furred black collar at her throat were the only adornments to the outfit. She had dark olive-green hair flowing down her back, cut neatly just above her brows; two separate tendrils rested along each shoulder. Three arcing shards of bone rested just above the right brow, presumably her mask fragment. Calm lavender eyes regarded the man with curiosity, a column of three sequentially smaller pink dots below the right orb as she raised one hand, sheathed in an overly-long sleeve, to cover the lower portion of her face.

"Well," she mused, scanning over his tired features slowly, "You certainly need a shower, but otherwise turned out rather nicely, didn't you?"

His face went through several stages of confusion and bewilderment. Finally alighting on the familiar markings under her eye, slow comprehension dawned. "…Sung-Sun?"

The slight hint of a smile showed around her sleeve at his disbelieving tone. "Indeed."

"But…how? Last time I saw you…"

She cocked one fair eyebrow at him. "If you haven't already heard, our master has finally returned. And with him, the means for nearly any Hollow to achieve such ascension. Though of course, you did manage that on your own…I believe congratulations are in order."

He gave her a blank look in response, turning away and slumping onto a nearby chair without a word.

"…Are your actions as a Hollow that disturbing to your human self?"

He didn't answer, head lowering as if in shame, but it was enough for the other Arrancar to narrow her eyes at him. "As you know, most Hollows go through much worse in their initial phases." Her voice turned uncharacteristically bitter. "Nelliel kindly saw to inform me that you in fact did not go through the same, yes? What, exactly, do you have to be ashamed of?"

His head shook slowly, murmuring something she couldn't make out.

"What?"

"Because I…I failed," he grit out, teeth clenched. "I couldn't protect my own family, and they…"

"So what?"

With shocking speed he was back on his feet, expression thunderous. Sung-Sun faced him down with impressive calm, her own eyes narrowed dangerously, her next words chilling him to the bone.

"You didn't have to live on as a spirit, chained to the scene of your loved ones deaths, until one day your heart vanished and you became a monster. Think on that."

His mouth opened to reply, only to find he had no words for the profound sorrow tainting her voice. She seemed to realize the fact, turning away with a forlorn look. "With the recovery of our humanity, older memories have become much clearer again, for better or worse," she stated, regaining her usual composed manner.

Sung-Sun stepped towards one window, folding her arms together lightly as she regarded him, a trace of sympathy in her lavender gaze. "Believe me when I say that, unfortunately, that is the bitter truth of our race. We are not creatures born of happiness."

"…Right."

"Besides," She said thoughtfully, "From what I understand, you haven't spoken to the Shinigami woman you brought back yet. She was there, yes? She would know what happened…after."

Sung-Sun smiled slightly at the slight uplifting in his expression, eyes showing a glimmer of hope for once. He stood straighter, seeming to struggle for words. "You…I mean…thanks, Sung-Sun. Really."

"Of course, Shin."

He flinched at the name, causing her to frown, and he quickly waved away her obvious question. "It's not…not who I am. Not anymore, at least."

"Oh?" The female Arrancar squinted his way critically. "As stated previously, I'm not calling you 'lord'."

It took him a moment to remember their old exchanges out in the wastes, but once he did a slow, genuine smile grew. "Right, right. Just…call me Ichigo, then. Ichigo Kurosaki."

Sung-Sun nodded slowly, rolling the name around in her head. "Very well. In any case, come. You have been summoned." At his surprised look she sniffed haughtily. "What, did you think I bothered to come all the way up here just to make you feel better?"

"Well…yeah, kinda."

His plain honesty seemed to throw off her stride for some reason, and high on her cheekbones tiny spots of pink appeared. Ichigo watched her, puzzled, as she coughed lightly to regain her composure. "Ahem. Again, come. There's not much time, and you need to be at least presentable."

"Time for what?" He asked, trotting after the slender woman, who had already began her descent from the tower.

"Our Lord wishes to meet with you."

"…Why?"

She shrugged, but he caught one lavender eye peeking back in open curiosity despite her supposed air of nonchalance.

 _So I finally get to meet the boss._

A sudden realization struck him like lightning: knowing what he was now, which side of this so-called war was he on?

 _I don't even know why I'm here…I shouldn't assume anything, not yet._

Shaking the concerning idea away, they touched down at the end of the staircase.

"Wait, what about R...the Soul Reaper?"

"I believe she is still being hidden by Lady Nelliel."

Ichigo examined Sung-Sun at the casual remark; she seemed to sense his suspicion, turning to face him fully.

"To answer your unspoken questions: Yes, we Hollows are not overly fond of any Shinigami, years of being hunted does tend to instill some hostility. No, I do not personally care what happens to her. And finally, no, I will not reveal her to the rest of Hueco Mundo. I imagine she will remain until you decide what to do with her, but that will have to wait. Come."

One orange eyebrow raised at her dismissive tone, to which she simply sighed as if already tired of the subject. "The woman is your business, I don't care to pry where I have none."

Ichigo paused before nodding slowly. "Thank you."

She flicked several stray locks of hair back over one shoulder as if to say 'of course'.

"Oh…wait, hang on." Ichigo turned, backtracking up the stairs in agile bounds. He returned a short time later, carrying something which caused the female Arrancar's eyes to widen considerably.

"What…is that?"

O--O--O

"Nnngrh. The hell, these are too…" A muttered curse echoed in the halls, muffled by the sound of echoing footsteps.

"Stop fidgeting, you look fine."

"No, it's these friggin shoes! I haven't worn anything on my feet in…what month is it?"

Nel resisted the urge to laugh at the sight of Shin – Ichigo – trying to adjust to his new clothes, hopping every few steps and tapping the tip of one snug white shoe against the floor as he kept up with her long strides. Along with the footwear, he was sporting both a clean new set of hakama and a close-fitting and sleeveless white vest, its slim collar rising halfway up his neck. In addition, a thick black belt crossed his torso starting from the right shoulder, carrying one of the most ridiculously oversized weapons the Espada had ever laid eyes on.

Ichigo's zanpakuto had quite naturally appeared with him after his transformation into an Arrancar. However, and perhaps due to his _un_ naturally large amount of reiatsu, it had manifested into a fairly standard single-edged katana; albeit the weapon was nearly six feet long and at least five inches wide along the entire expanse until it sloped down into a point at the tip, but at least it had a standard shape instead of something else strange. It currently hung from his back in an equally enormous wooden scabbard.

 _I'll have to retrain him to use it properly…I've never even seen a single blade that massive before._

In addition to his clothes, the other female arrancar – whom Nel still wasn't sure what to make of – had been rather adamant about cutting the wild and unkempt mane the man had been toting around before. She'd chopped nearly three feet of it off until Ichigo had begrudgingly accepted his fate.

 _"It's close now to what I had before all…this. It's fine."_

Along with the drastic changes in appearance, hints of what he must have been like in life had begun to show through: evidence enough that his memories had fully returned. Gone was the 'Shin' she had known, the arrogant and impulsive Vasto Lorde. Instead, she was rather pleased to find he had calmed considerably compared to his previous incarnation, though she still caught his eyes darting around at the scenery, clearly still adjusting to the changes.

Otherwise, Ichigo now appeared as a impressively capable and straightforward young man; the several weeks he'd spent in isolation had served as enough of an adjustment period, and to his own admittance he wanted to learn more before deciding anything, a commendable notion. A meeting like the one they were being called to was the perfect chance to learn what exactly he was wrapped up in.

Expression darkening at the thought, her grip tightened on the hilt of her own zanpakuto, her strides lengthening.

"Ichigo," she began, glancing back to make sure she had his attention, "I know you're still unfamiliar to everything here. And I understand if you can't exactly trust me, but-"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Nel stumbled to a stop, lost for words, Ichigo frowning at her surprise. "What, did I say something weird?"

"Er…"

The younger Arrancar rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, you still saved my ass out in the desert, and a few other times besides that. It doesn't really matter if you're a Hollow. Hell, so am I. In the end, you're still you, and that's all that matters to me."

She had continued to stare his way as he spoke, continuing even after he had finished. He shifted under the attention, frowning mulishly. "…What?"

Nel simply twirled back around and kept walking, humming cheerily to herself. They went on for a time without another word until they both approached a discernable slope in the endless white stone floor. Nel held one hand out to stop him cautiously, traces of her earlier levity fading. "Are you ready?"

Ichigo glanced up the incline, seeing a wide flight of stairs leading higher into the structure. He silently nodded his assent, and they climbed onwards.

O--O--O

Several minutes and a lengthy stretch of smooth stone steps later, they approached a single arched doorway at the peak of whatever structure they had entered. Ichigo managed to hear the barely audible hum of several different voices in the room ahead and sent a quick look at Nel. The Espada took that as her cue, taking the lead, her features fixing into a business-like mask.

Following her quietly respectful pace, he took several quiet breaths, trying to calm the sudden sense of foreboding that had washed over him from the instant they had stepped over the threshold.

They arrived onto a sheer black stone floor, an unusual sight in the stark white palace, though the rest of the décor was typically plain. A single tall white throne faced away from them, shielding it's occupant from sight, and faced a wide gap in the walls showing a breathtaking view of the desert far below. To it's immediate right stood a dark-skinned man, clad in fairly standard sleeveless Las Noches garb, black hair ties back into a ponytail of clean dreadlocks. His face was expressionless, emotionless, eyes hidden behind a thin purple visor. On the opposite side, leaning against a wide white couch, rested another man in flowing white robes, wide sleeves held together at his front, hands hidden inside. He kept his unusual silver hair cut short, closely adhering to his scalp with the exception of loose bangs that covered his brow. A persistently-present smile hovered over his thin, snakelike features, and though his eyes appeared to be closed, Ichigo had the sense to realize they were instead fixed on him intently.

With a start, Ichigo also realized neither had any Hollow-like features to be seen; no mask remnants on their heads, and the leftmost man had no hole visible within the thin slit at the front of his robes.

He and Nel stopped a short distance away, the one on the right leaning towards the throne and murmuring something before stepping away, arms held behind his back. An instant later, a male voice spoke from the recesses of the throne.

"Nelliel. Thank you for arriving so quickly."

The Espada inclined her head politely as the voice went on, apparently fully aware of her movements.

"And this must be the aforementioned _fracción_ , yes?"

She sent a quick look his way and Ichigo took a single step closer, remembering her hurried instructions on their trip here. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki…sir."

The silver-haired man on the left raised on brow at his words, the other opposite tilting his head.

"Interesting…" The voice trailed off thoughtfully, rising a second later and turning to regard him. Ichigo felt a cold sliver of some unrecognizable emotion stab into his core as the mysterious being inspected him.

The tall man wore clean white Arrancar robes, the wide collar of his coat split at the front and framing handsome features. Medium-length brown hair was swept back in a casual yet artful disarray, a single long lock trailing over his left temple. His expression bordered on disinterested, but simultaneously he had a small, barely visible tilt to the corners of his mouth, expressing a hidden sort of disdain for the world around.

It was the man's eyes that chilled him; light brown, they were eerily flat, and regarded him with the kind of look a man would give an insect, a being far below himself. To enforce that sensation, Ichigo could clearly feel the hidden strength beyond the man's simple appearance. If what he was sensing was anywhere near accurate…

He couldn't even imagine anyone in existence matching that power.

The inspection lasted for a brief few moments before the man looked away. "Nelliel, how are your injuries?"

Nel blinked several times at the sudden change of tone. "Fully healed, sir. However, due to the nature of the wound..." She trailed off, sounding nearly shameful. The man simply waved away her apology.

"It matters not. We will investigate further at another time. For now, I would have a word with your _fracción_."

Nel's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, to which he smiled gently – if such a casual expression of disdain could be seen as gentle. She then inclined her head once again, throwing Ichigo a worried look, before striding back the way they had come.

Ichigo, for his part, stayed stock-still as she left. The two others to the sides traded glances before following suit, leaving them alone in stifling quiet. The man, who could only be the leader of Las Noches, touched the rounded throne with one finger until it swiveled to face him, assuming a casual seat, one hand resting against the side of his face as he gazed towards the nervous Arrancar.

"You must have questions," the man said after a long moment, lapsing into a comfortable silence afterwards.

"I, uh…I mean, I do. Sir."

"There is no reason for formality, and no reason to fear. I understand your situation, and I know you are no normal Hollow. Be at ease."

 _Well, okay then._

Ichigo let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, fists unclenching at his sides. Steeling his resolve, he straightened. "You…aren't a Hollow. Neither were the other two. Right?"

"Correct. We are Shinigami."

The immediate and relaxed answer sent a flash of confusion through him. "Then why are you in charge of Hueco Mundo? Of Hollows?"

The man blinked calmly, fully expecting the query. "To fully explain, you must understand my intentions here, both for myself and for the Hollows within Las Noches." He paused, a flicker of amusement crossing his smooth features. "But how rude of me. My name is Sousuke Aizen. I was, until recently, a captain of the Gotei 13."

 _And yet he leads the opposing army?_

Aizen seemed to sense his question, smoothly answering before he could voice it. "I assumed a role within their ranks to infiltrate and recover something of great importance for our cause here."

"Our cause?"

This time, a genuine smile seemed to appear. "Yes…before that, tell me something: I was under the impression you were referred to as 'Shin'. What brought about the change?"

Ichigo frowned, expression darkening. "That was my name before I got my memories back. It's the name of what I was then, not now."

"Were you not happy with your actions?"

"I…" He struggled for words, trying to marshal his mixed emotions on the subject. "I wasn't, for a while. But now, as I am, I'm not that... _beast_."

"I see." Aizen seemed satisfied with his response, returning to the topic at hand. "Ichigo, then. I would like to know what you think of the world, with the knowledge that you now possess."

"Huh?"

The seated Soul Reaper remained ever patient. "Humans, Hollows, Shinigami. The balance between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. I want to know what you think about the current state of the world."

Ichigo's brow furrowed as he considered the question. Even if he had theoretically only died within the last year, he had found the revelations of the true state of the afterlife fairly easy to understand; after all, he was living it, whether he liked it or not. However, several details had bothered him in the time since recovering his humanity. Simple things that to him stood out, which he corralled into words as quickly as he could.

"With the Soul Society being...'Heaven', I guess, that leaves Hell as the exact opposite. I get that, but what does that make Hueco Mundo? And what about Hollows?" He asked slowly, seeing Aizen's expression take on a pleased cast.

"An excellent question."

The man straightened in his throne, arms resting on the sides as he went on. "Souls from the mortal world are sent to either the Soul Society or Hell, depending on whether they were good or evil in life. But Hollows…Hollows are different. I have seen Hollows arise from both pure and vile intentions alike. And yet, regardless of that fact, the Shinigami hunt you down. Like animals."

Ichigo knew that well enough. Even if he himself hadn't had to go through that experience, the countless other souls within him certainly had.

But at the same time, he knew that didn't absolve the horrific actions of some after their loss of humanity. The only reason Hollows could even remain alive was a testament to how they survived; consuming other human souls in an effort to fill a bottomless hunger. A slavering thirst for completion that Ichigo knew personally could drive even the most sane of those to horrific acts; no matter their actions when they were alive, those that lived on as Hollows invariably had fed on humankind at some point. Even he was no true exception.

 _How many did I feed on? They may have been Hollows, but…they were human once. Just people fighting to survive._

His hands clenched, anger clearly showing through, Aizen calmly letting him think.

"If Hollows…if we were evil…why wouldn't we be in Hell instead?" Ichigo bit out, struggling to see some sense of all this. Aizen closed his own eyes, leaning back thoughtfully.

"Some would say because it is the duty of the Seireitei to cleanse Hollows. Others, that having Hollows exist holds the universe itself in balance. The flow of life, death, and rebirth."

Ichigo shook his head vehemently. "That doesn't…none of that adds up. When a Soul Reaper kills a Hollow, it's sent to either the Soul Society or Hell anyways. Right? There's no need for souls to go through that in the first place! And if that's true, then what the HELL IS THE POINT?!" He roared out the question, fingernails biting deep into his palm, drops of hot blood dripping down to the floor as he shook with barely controlled rage.

Aizen's cold eyes opened again, gazing into his own. "That, Ichigo, is why."

The deathly calm statement served to snap Ichigo out of his anger, staring at the Shinigami in confusion as he continued to speak slowly, confidently. "The Hollows of Hueco Mundo follow me for many reasons. Some seek refuge in my strength, seeking leadership. Some simply want to oppose the Seireitei. Some for more selfish reasons, of course; every Hollow wants something, that is the reason they exist at all."

"They all trust you."

"Of course not." The seated man let out a dry laugh, no trace of mirth reaching his eyes. "I have never once asked anyone here to trust me. Simply to follow."

"Why?"

Aizen's amused expression faded, his next words coming out icy. "To overthrow the Soul King."

 _The what?_

Aizen stood abruptly, crossing over to stand at the window, facing away from Ichigo as he spoke. "The Soul King is responsible for one thing. Regulating the flow of souls to and from the Soul Society."

"He…it? Is God?"

"He is _a_ god. One of few truly divine beings in this universe."

"Okay, so it…he…controls every soul?"

"And much more. He exists as the linchpin of existence itself. He commands the world order, a secluded pocket of the Seireitei as his home. Without him the universe itself would collapse, and every plane of existence would be destroyed."

Ichigo's head was starting to ache. "I still don't get what that has to do with anything."

"Indeed. Did you know that the Soul Reapers were chosen as his vassals? Not ordained as, but _chosen_ to be his representatives in the world?"

"But that would mean…" the implied meaning alone had his jaw clenching painfully, the taste of bile rising. "That would mean that however many millions of people are just meant to go through all that pain for nothing? For what, some sort of _cosmic balance_?" Ichigo had a difficult time keeping the venom out of his voice at the mere thought.

The leader of Las Noches nodded at this, still facing out towards the moonlit desert. "And such has been the world order for many thousands of years."

Ichigo suddenly felt he understood why, deep in his core as a Hollow, he instinctively despised the Soul Reapers; unknowingly or not, they were contributing to that horrible cycle. All the while holding themselves up as the 'righteous'.

It made him feel violently sick.

Aizen finally turned back around as if in response to his unspoken thoughts, voice hard. "And that, Ichigo, is why I chose the Hollows to be my allies in this. When I take the throne from the Soul King, I will be able to reshape the fundamental laws of this universe. Including, of course, the Hollows and their innate nature. No longer will humanity suffer under their so called 'peace'. The Soul King and every other god has languished as well, neglecting their responsibilities. No one has ever been at the top of the world, no one has ever asserted true order. That unbearable vacancy at the throne will be filled. I will be the one who sits on it."

It wasn't the promise of change that caught Ichigo's attention; it was the absolute certainty in his tone. In his mind, there was no doubt of victory. That unshakeable conviction had to be what had gathered so many volatile beings under his command. Not simply a reason to fight, but a true goal at the end. With the sheer force of Sousuke Aizen at their head, it was no wonder they all kept themselves under control.

The Shinigami stepped closer as Ichigo mulled this all over, still somewhat overwhelmed. "There will be conflict, of course. Every great cause has always required upheaval. Required sacrifice. For that, I do believe your power would be greatly beneficial, Ichigo Kurosaki. For the sake of the world, what do you say?"

Ichigo realized with a start that he suddenly stood at the precipice of something much larger than himself. The chance to accomplish something so much greater than temporary satisfaction, whether from a battle or anything else he had ever been a part of, human or not.

He let out a soft snort, shaking his head.

 _Even if I was still alive, could I have ever turned away from something like this?_

Reaching out, he grasped the other man's outstretched hand in his own.

O--O--O

Stirring from her fitful rest, Rukia squinted up at the light streaming in, a tiny window high above showing a sliver of the moon against a starless sky.

Sighing, she had to resist reaching for her left hip automatically, searching for her zanpakuto; that had been a hard habit to break within the first week of her captivity. She sat up, brushing stray hair out of her eyes, and leaned over to the closest wall next to her small bed, scratching yet another tiny line into the stone wall alongside the cluster already there. It took some time, but she wasn't exactly in a hurry.

 _I can't even tell when a day ends or begins, what with the endless night outside._

Finally done, she slouched back on the bed. After a minute, she realized the empty food tray from the previous day was still on the tiny table nearer to the handle-less door of her cell, so she couldn't have been asleep all that long.

Rukia had been in this room for what felt like several weeks, but even with being more accustomed to the realm time was impossible to judge. And with her unusual jailer's advice, she hadn't been keen to make an escape attempt. Not when she was in the middle of enemy territory.

Upon her arrival through the garganta, she'd been barely able to react before being thrown in here by…Shin or Ichigo, she wasn't sure what the case was. Not a minute later the interior of the room had shimmered an odd color, fading away just as the door had swing outwards, and she had been confronted by a rather beautiful woman with a long mane of unusually green hair and a startlingly pale man.

Apparently, her confusion at seeing the bone-like adornments on their heads had been clear enough, and they had quickly informed her of two facts: first, that she was in Hueco Mundo. And second, that she was now in the stronghold of Las Noches. The heart of the enemy, filled with more Hollows of incredible power than she had ever dreamt of in her worst nightmares. Armed with that information, Rukia had assumed that she would be dead within moments. Instead, the woman had given her a quick once-over and left. The man, who's name she still had trouble remembering, had rather cordially told her that this room was now her only safe haven in the entire dimension; as long as she remained inside, nobody outside would be able to sense her presence. If she chose to try and break out, her reiatsu would be like blood in the water for every Hollow within the palace.

Reaching back, she tapped one wall at the thought. As far as she could tell, it wasn't even Sekkisekki, special stone that naturally resisted spiritual essence. Taking down a wall and escaping into the night would be simple…

And hunting her down would be just as easy.

Resigned to her fate, she had been forced to remain, the only interruptions into her solitude being the same Hollow bringing her a simple tray of food each 'morning' – she was honestly surprised she got even that at first. As time passed and her daily meals arrived, she spotted the female again only twice, and others she had seen a large tribal-looking Hollow peering in at her for a moment before stomping away heavily. Otherwise she was left alone, with no sign of her original captor.

At the thought, Rukia shifted uncomfortably, vividly recalling the sensation of the man's reiatsu before she had been flung in here; absurdly powerful, heavy, thick enough to weigh her down, and…confused.

"Ichigo…what happened to you?" Rukia said softly, closing her eyes, unwillingly remembering that terrible night again.

The sudden clatter of locks and bolts being undone startled Rukia out of her thoughts. She sat up straighter on the bed, watching as the door to her prison swung wide, revealing a tall silhouette clothed in white.

"I-Ichigo…?" She breathed, seeing the familiar young man's face clearly for the first time as he stepped in. She hesitated on seeing the mask fragment at his right temple, hurriedly correcting herself. "Ah, I mean-"

"Ichigo is fine…Rukia."

 _It IS him!_

She stood, shaking her head in a mixture of confusion and relief. "So it really is you. I didn't think it could be possible, not so soon after you…"

The young Hollow's expression darkened ever so slightly, and she flinched at the spike in his reiatsu; at this close range she could feel the barest change, so strong was his presence. A second later he visibly exhaled, slowly, and the sensation faded as he spoke. "I need to know what happened that night, Rukia. What happened…after."

She had almost been expecting an interrogation, but the honest and pleading tone in his voice made her smile with relief. Apparently, the young man from back then was still in there somewhere.

"They're alive, Ichigo. Both your father and sisters," she said calmly, "Myself and another ensured they were fully healed. We altered their memories as well, so as far as they know a vehicle simply crashed into the home while they slept. I've actually been making trips to Karakura Town when I can to make sure. They…they miss you. But they're together."

Ichigo stared at her for several long moments before he sagged heavily against one wall. "Good, good…thank you."

"Of course. I am only alive because of you, after all. It was the least I could do."

"Yeah…about that." He abruptly stood straighter, tossing a quick glance back through the door. "You need to get out of here."

He strode past her, gesturing oddly at the opposite wall several times, frowning and trying different motions, before finally a tiny, door-wide garganta split the air. Rukia blinked at it owlishly as Ichigo pushed her impatiently forwards.

"Wait, _wait_ ," she yelped in surprise, "Where are you sending me now?!"

"Anywhere but here. This entire world isn't safe for Shinigami."

"Obviously! Aren't I your prisoner or something, why are you just trying to release me?" she demanded, not realizing she was protesting her own freedom. At this, Ichigo shot her an odd look.

"What do you mean, 'prisoner'? I just wanted to know about my family. Seriously though, just head towards the light or whatever, it always works for me. Go, now!"

"Wha-?!"

With one last shove and an indignant squawk, she shot through the portal like a bullet, barely managing to form a platform of reishi beneath her feet before she fell into the unknown abyss. She twisted to look back up after the ungainly landing. "Wait, Ichigo! What about your family?!"

He stared back down, struggling with himself for several seconds. "I…I can't do anything for them, not like this. But they're safe. Make sure they stay that way, Rukia. Please."

A second after his final words the portal snapped shut, and after a quick look around she started making her way towards the lightest visible section in the swirling darkness..

 _That idiot…always trying to do the right thing, huh?_

The corners of her mouth turned up into an amused expression as she ran.

 _Hollow or not, he certainly still knows just how to surprise me. I wonder what will happen to him now…I hope he stays safe as well, and out of trouble._

With her thoughts firmly back to business, she increased her pace.

 _Regardless, the Seireitei needs to know about the other Hollows…this is far beyond what we had ever anticipated._

O--O--O

Nelliel watched the young Arrancar step back out of tiny room , tensing on seeing her resting against the wall nearby. She gave him a cool once-over for several moments. "All done?"

"Er…yeah."

"Good." She smiled and saw him relax. "We've been summoned again, though it appears to be more of a larger gathering this time."

"What for?"

"Well, considering that all Arrancar are now fully united under Lord Aizen," she said pointedly, pinning him with a look that he squirmed under, "It's most likely to give us new orders."

He opened his mouth to respond just as Pesche and Dondochakka turned a nearby corner, the former standing to attention smartly, sheathed zanpakuto an unusual sight at his hip. "Ready to depart, milady."

Nel hummed her acknowledgement, eyeing Ichigo in an unspoken question.

"Yeah…let's go."

O--O--O

After a lengthy trip following the internal curvature of the outer walls of Las Noches, the four headed directly inward, traversing the sunlit inner expanse to a massive tiered, circular structure that very nearly reached the top of the dome at it's utmost peak. Upon entering they were received by several Arrancar aides and guided into a cavernous chamber, wide pillars along each side, a solitary throne sitting atop a high wall at it's furthest end, as if to survey at the assembled Arrancar milling about over a dozen feet below.

The company of three halted at the large crowds furthest edge, Ichigo in particular receiving more than a few wary looks. He assumed an expression of careful indifference as he himself glanced around curiously; many in the crowd were unfamiliar, though the existing Espada stood out due to the wide berth their own reputations tended to create. He received a gruff and evaluating stare from Baraggan in particular on the opposite side of the room, sitting in his usual bony throne, who then proceeded to nod to himself in satisfaction before continuing to ignore the rest of those assembled.

A movement to Ichigo's right had him catching a familiar lavender eye among the rest; Sung-Sun inclined her head after meeting his gaze as she stepped alongside three other unfamiliar forms. The first couple he skimmed over, passively realizing they must be the other two of her group. The third…

His face heated up rapidly, and immediately he forced his eyes away – but not before he caught a sly smile peeking out from behind one of the snake Arrancar's sleeves.

 _Must be her work. There's no way Harribel chose those clothes…right?_

He managed to shake away the image still seared in his mind just in time to hear the faint murmuring from the crowd fade, and he followed their motions, looking to the throne high above.

Aizen, still clothed in the same white robes as many in the Arrancar ranks, calmly seated himself. The two other Shinigami joined him as well, standing to the sides just like before.

"Welcome, all of you," he said smoothly, regarding the room as if it held nothing out of the ordinary. "I believe that this is the first time we have gathered since my return. As you have all had time to adjust to your newfound prowess, there is one matter I must address before our plans may proceed: the ranks of the Espada."

Some among the crowd shifted at his announcement, though whether it was from surprise or excitement was hard to tell.After a moment to allow their reactions, Aizen continued. "As you know, the artifact I retrieved from the Seireitei allowed most of you here to ascend instantly; and with that, of course, means that the balance of power has shifted quite significantly. Some will remain among the Espada, others will not. Please accept these adjustments with grace; remember, you are among comrades here." His voice took on the slightest edge at the end, clearly implying his imminent displeasure for any who disrupted the peace in his presence.

"Firstly, those whose titles are unchanged. Coyote Starrk retains the title of _Primera_."

The attention in the room visibly shifted to focus on a single shadowed figure far in the back of the room, separated from the rest and slouched back lazily on a chair. They heard an audible grunt as the figure rolled upright at the mention of the name, and it raised one casual hand as if in acknowledgement. Appearing to be sufficient, their leader went on.

"Baraggan Louisenbairn remains the _Segunda_."

The bearded old man made a rather annoyed 'harrumph', but only folded his burly arms in response. Aizen showed no outer reaction at this but the barest hint of an amused cast on his lips.

"Next, there will be a new rank added to the Espada, for…unique circumstances. Yammy Llargo, come forth."

A huge bulk of a man rose from the side, parting the crowd carelessly as he stomped up. Standing easily over seven feet, his darker skin tone shone in the dim light from the front of his jacket, brazenly left open. The top of his head was bare and defined by four bony ridges leading to the back of his skull, where the base of a short black ponytail hung to his back. The remains of his mask appeared as a wide lower jawbone, complete with eight jagged teeth, still affixed to his chin. Two red marks curved under his eyes, accentuating his heavy features, cocky in his arrogance as the man made it to the front. Ichigo examined him with some amount of distaste; the memory of their first encounter hadn't left a positive impression.

"You shall now receive the title of _Diez_ , the Tenth Espada," Aizen announced, tracing in the air with one finger.

The man suddenly hissed in surprise, one hand pulling the left side of his jacket away, revealing an inky black '10' appearing in jaggedly stylized lettering on his shoulder with an audible sizzling sound. Once it had fully formed, Yammy inclined his huge head in what must have amounted to a bow, backing away to stand at the front of the crowd closest to the throne.

"Continuing on. Aaroniero Arruruerie."

If the strange name was any indication, the man who it belonged to certainly fit the same description. The arrancar stepped out from the crowd wearing uniquely frilled formal robes over his otherwise standard white garb and clean gentleman's gloves on his hands. That was the extent of anything normal about 'him'.

Where the being's neck should have been, there was instead a clear glossy tube full of some sort of liquid; within were suspended two baseball-shaped heads, each with their own distorted Hollow-like features. Each bobbed about independently as they strode forwards, bowing respectfully once they stood before their master.

"You are the only Gillian among us, Aaroniero. Be honored, and stand tall as the Ninth Espada," Aizen declared solemnly. Once again a faint sound of searing flesh was heard, and each tiny head twitched uncomfortably as the symbols of their new station appeared on each.

"Szayelaporro Grantz."

The intellectual Arrancar passed Aaroniero on his way forward, inclining his spectacled head.

"You will now assume the title of the Eighth Espada."

"Of course, my Lord."

Aizen seemed unsurprised at his casual acceptance of the demotion, simply gesturing once more. The faint hiss was once again heard, though Szayelaporro neither flinched or even reacted in the slightest, and no marks were apparent. Once he had stepped back in line with his fellow Espada, Aizen took a long moment to regard them before continuing.

"…Nelliel tu Odelschwanck."

Whispering and murmurs erupted in the hall as she strode past Ichigo quickly, head held high. Many present had sent her questioning looks when the first and second Espada had retained their previous ranks while she had not, eyes lingering on her broken mask curiously. The same happened now as she assumed a rigid stance at the front of the crowd, hands clasped behind her back.

"Nelliel," Aizen greeted, far more warmly than any before. "How are you?"

"I am well, my Lord."

Ichigo smirked at the formalities, fully realizing every action Aizen took was for the rest assembled, no matter what had transpired in private.

"Very good. Would you agree, Nelliel, that your strength has diminished?"

She took no visible offense at the direct question, though Ichigo saw the barest tightening in her expression. "I would, yes."

"Yes…regardless of that fact, you will remain in the Espada as the _Séptima_ , the Seventh. The skill that you have demonstrated in the past speaks for your ability, and I believe that in time you will overcome any previous loss. Is that satisfactory?"

"I would be honored for the opportunity," she replied smoothly, and she hardly flinched as Aizen gestured again, the altered mark hidden under her clothes burning bright for a brief instant. She bowed low and joined the others after it was complete.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

A single silhouette rose from one secluded corner, the group he was surrounded by parting as the man stalked forwards, stride almost predatory as he entered the light.

He was revealed to be a tall man, over six feet, with sky blue hair in carelessly spiked disarray, mostly swept back over his forehead. His potentially handsome features were somewhat marred by the seemingly permanent furrowing of his brows and annoyed scowl, partially hidden on the right side by his mask fragment, the entire upper and lower jawbone remaining affixed there. Piercing eyes the same shade as his hair were underlined with thick lines of green extending past the outside corners, and Ichigo was simultaneously reminded of wildcats from the mortal world and the man's similar Adjucha form. Otherwise, the man wore the standard uniform with the exception of a short-cut and unbuttoned jacket, no shirt underneath to hide his muscular frame, hollow hole set firmly in the center of his stomach.

He stopped at the front of the crowd, hands in his pockets as he stared up, scowl still present.

"Grimmjow, you showed the greatest increase in power from your Adjucha state as opposed to anyone else. In light of that, I give you the title of _Sexta_ , the Sixth Espada."

Grimmjow's upper lip curled in a snarl as the lower right section of his back, just next to his Hollow hole, seared black a second later, forming the trademark '6'. The man ran one hand along the spot before nodding and stepping away. Aizen disregarded his gruff demeanor with a small smile.

"Now, for the next…hmm." He paused again, eyes drifting around the room for a long minute before he spoke again. "Ulquiorra Cifer, step forwards if you please."

The Arrancar in question seemed to coalesce out of the gloom at the call, making his way to the front methodically. He appeared exactly as Ichigo remembered from their previous meeting; cold, dispassionate, his green gaze passing over most others in the room without a care as he arrived in front of Aizen.

"Ulquiorra, I was planning to have you simply resume your post as the Fifth Espada, but…" The Shinigami trailed off, cold eyes sharpening intently as he looked the Arrancar over. "Instead, I believe congratulations are in order, yes?"

Ulquiorra kept up his stony demeanor, to which Aizen only smiled wider. "From now on, you shall be the Fourth Espada."

The familiar sizzle sounded amid surprised whispers from the crowd, the newly promoted man not shifting an inch until the process was complete, finally bowing slightly and retreating to stand with the rest.

Aizen watched the Arrancar go, and Ichigo thought he saw a tiny glimmer of curiosity in his typically emotionless eyes before their leader returned to the business at hand, calling out the next name casually: "Tier Harribel."

Immediately to his right the crowd parted, letting the woman through and into the light to stand at the front.

With her ascension, his sparring partner had shed her previous garments of blue and white plates of bone, the hints of caramel-colored skin that had only been visible before around her eyes before now shown to be her true skin color; and as a matter of fact, quite a lot of it was now on display. Whether or not she herself had chosen the garments or not was up for debate, but her Arrancar uniform was partially standard…from the waist down. Upwards, her shapely hips were barely concealed by the top of the hakama and the black sash holding them there, the next hint of clothing beginning – finally – just at the middle half of her rather large bust, leaving the entirety of her toned midsection open to the air and only just preserving her modesty.

Ichigo, very carefully, did not let his eyes wander.

Not at all.

From there, Tier wore a tight-fitted and long-sleeved jacket, the sleeves themselves extending into black-fingered gloves. At the collar, the garment also extended into an unusually high collar with two beige air vents where her mouth would be, covering half of her face from the bridge of her nose down, much like her mask from the previous form; and in fact, symmetrical pieces of bone were still visible just under her calm, aqua-blue eyes on each side, but from there the rest was also hidden. Her golden-blonde hair remained as before, mostly just hanging where it would, with the new addition of three simple braids keeping the longer locks out of her way.

Aizen shifted to one side in his throne as she arrived below, the fingers of one hand resting at his temple in a now-familiar pose.

"Tier…I must say, I am quite impressed. I had not expected this level of improvement. Well done."

She blinked once at the praise, remaining silent.

"With such achievements, you shall now take the seat of the Third Espada." Aizen stated, his free hand twisting in the air. The mark didn't appear anywhere visible on Harribel, but the fingers on one hand clenched tight during the process.

As she did, some in the room openly showed some consternation, whispering ensuing in the silence as Harribel stepped back in line with her fellow Espada. Aizen let it continue for a minute, finally raising his hand to restore order.

"Obviously, one seat still remains. This is not an oversight, as I wished to introduce the final member myself."

Ichigo had a sudden sense of foreboding come over him at the words, and realized that Aizen's cool gaze had settled on him, even as far back as he was from the front.

"Ichigo Kurosaki…please, join us."

More than a few Arrancar in the crowd looked around in confusion at the unfamiliar name, parting only as he began his advance. The looks he received were a mix of curiosity and disdain; most didn't seem to recognize him now that he was missing the horns. Ichigo tried to ignore them, but a knot of what he recognized was stage fright still formed in his throat, and he had to resist laughing at how out of place the sensation felt here.

Finally he stepped through the last of the crowd, passing between Grimmjow and Ulquiorra, and raised his head to meet Aizen's calm gaze.

"You, Ichigo, are the last natural Arrancar to come into existence before my return," he declared, sounding thoughtful. "I will admit, I had heard tales of your… _escapades_ even before recovering your true identity. Is it true that Nnoitra Gilga fell to your strength when you were a mere Vasto Lorde?"

The revelation to the rest of the unfamiliar occupants of the room as to who he was sent a rush of surprise through them, inciting a storm of whispers and hissed words. Ichigo held back another laugh as he realized that was exactly what Aizen had wanted to accomplish.

He went to respond, but paused awkwardly, realizing now how that action would appear to their so-called leader. He had, in essence, reduced their fighting strength by no insignificant margin. However, it seemed that the Shinigami had no intention of holding him guilty for the deed, laughing softly. "I consider that to be more than a sufficient price to have you with us now. The cost of progress, think nothing of it."

 _Something about the way he says that doesn't feel right._

He frowned slightly at the thought, but let it fade as the man went on.

"I would have you assume Nnoitra's rank in return, Ichigo, as the Fifth Espada. Along with your latent strength, I sense that there may be much more to you than meets the eye. I look forward to witnessing it," Aizen said confidently, raising one finger just like before.

Ichigo was expecting it, but even still a large patch of skin just below the hole in his chest searing white-hot wasn't exactly comfortable, and he resisted the urge to scratch at the spot until it was complete.

Aizen finally stood, and all in the room except their new leaders knelt in eerie synchronicity.

"With this, the Espada are complete. Assume your new ranks as you will, assemble any fracción you wish. In time, we will act against the Soul Society; for now, rest. Your time will come soon."

With that final declaration, he and the other two Shinigami turned as one and vanished, the assembled Hollows beginning to leave at the dismissal.

Ichigo turned to face Nel, the rest of the Espada already striding away. The emerald-haired Arrancar let out a long breath, a thin smile at last breaking the tension in her stance. He returned it absentmindedly, casting one last look at the now empty throne high above. Nel joined him after a moment, looking surprisingly melancholy.

"And now the war truly begins," she murmured, not seeming to realize she had even spoken aloud.

To Ichigo, a great weight seemed to settle on his shoulders, and he squared them as best he could, staring up and past the room, to where the tiniest sliver of the moon could be seen high above.

 _I'll fight. Until this world is fixed, I'll fight._

His thoughts turned to his family, still alive and well.

 _That's all I can do now._


	14. Chapter 14

_Of all the chapters so far that took this long...I feel like this one really shouldn't have._

 _It's_ _been a weird couple months. A busy three weeks at work certainly took up a good portion of my usual writing time, and even then I was almost a bit daunted by where the story left off last chapter; there were so many options to choose from, I had a hard time really narrowing down how I wanted things to go._ _You know, because I really didn't plan ahead nearly as much as I should have. Like an idiot._

 _Anyways_ _, here we are. Bit of a slower chapter here, nothing terribly groundbreaking, just setup for future events. Like the next chapter, which I am incredibly excited to start writing for multiple reasons._

 _Speaking_ _of, many things both in the next chapter and later on, and in fact most of the tuning up of my chapters will now be officially credited to my friend/editor/QC/lead brainstorming associate: Trolzylulzy. He and I have been working out a lot of the specifics and details on everything from the Adjucha form for Shin in the beginning to future character and plot developments, and is pretty much my muse at this point._

 _And_ _with that, I hope you all enjoy, and hopefully the next chapter will be out much sooner than the recent trend would indicate._

 _See_ _you next time._

 **Chapter** **14:**

The cheery sound of idle conversation swept through the room; casual remarks, sarcastic replies, the occasional chuckle or hearty laugh ringing out. Despite the happy atmosphere, Nel felt her eyebrow twitch from some unfathomable emotion at each outburst.

"Ichigo."

The orange-haired Arrancar in question didn't notice her quiet call, instead adopting a pained look in response to a particularly bad joke from Pesche, not bothering to look up from the book he was skimming through surprisingly attentively.

"Ichigo."

Dondochakka, stomping in from the other side of the room, shook his masked head at yet another cringe-worthy attempt at humor from his pale friend.

"…Ichigo."

This time a particularly loud burst of laughter drowned her out, and she felt the other eyebrow begin to twitch as well.

The three men started in surprise as the air cooled drastically, turning to see Nel radiating a poisonous green aura, tendrils of her hair writhing like some sort of hellish gorgon. The effect vanished as she visibly exhaled, narrowing her eyes at each in turn. "Are you done?"

They nodded in unison.

"Good. As happy as I am to see you so relaxed for once," she said, pointedly looking at Ichigo again, "why, exactly, are you always here?"

"Where else would I be?"

"Oh, I don't know…maybe in the enormous tower that belongs to you now? You know, as an Espada."

He grimaced at her words, scratching the back of his head. "It's so empty in there, I can hear my own footsteps echoing for miles."

"Then recruit some fracción or something! I personally saw several dozen line up at the entrance to your quarters just last week."

"Eh, they were mostly just curious to see me up close or wanted to suck up." He grimaced at the thought. "Not sure why they came to me for that last one, I don't care about the whole ranking thing."

Nel massaged her forehead with one hand. "I get that, just…you're always _here_."

"Well, we've got no orders yet, and you're all here too," Ichigo said simply, glancing around at the other two in the room as well. "I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be right now."

Pesche tilted his head. "As flattered as I'm sure we all are by that, what about Harribel and that other lady…Sung-Sun?"

Ichigo rolled the idea around in his head for a moment, finally shaking his head. "Harribel is kinda blank, I still feel like I barely know her. And Sung-Sun…"

All three looked at him expectantly as he trailed off. He shrugged after a long moment, returning to his book. "She's different."

Nel and Pesche traded a look and a raised brow before smiling to themselves, the Espada taking a seat of her own with a small sigh.

In the time since the restructuring of the leadership, many in Las Noches had expected the war to truly begin; strikes against the Soul Society and the leadership were expected, perhaps ambushes could be planned against roaming patrols of Shinigami. Instead, the only orders they received were to hold and prepare. Within a week of this, the atmosphere within the palace had taken on a rather pensive air.

"It's very strange to see you like that," Pesche remarked in the quiet, causing the younger Arrancar to look at him oddly. "With a book. Reading."

Ichigo frowned.

"Why?"

"I dunno…it doesn't really fit this image I had of you."

"I was always at the top of my grade in school."

"And here I assumed you were some sort of delinquent."

"You little…"

Dondochakka chortled merrily. "Dat nothin', you shoulda seen Pesche when he was young."

The sound of the Arrancar's indignant protests and laughter from the other two rang out, soothing Nel's busy mind like a balm. Little exchanges like this had become fairly commonplace in their idleness, along with other welcome changes. Dondochakka was no longer terrified of Ichigo on sight, for one.

Throughout Las Noches the return of many Hollow's full sanity – or lack thereof – had made for an interesting situation. The scuffles and occasional 'disappearances' had stopped entirely, leaving a rather melancholy sensation that Las Noches had rarely seen; with no real orders, most of the Espada also chose to remain in their private quarters, resulting in a strange sort of calm in the halls.

"Oh yeah, Dondochakka, why didn't you get a uh… _upgrade_ yet?"

The tiki-masked Hollow tilted his head in question.

"Er…you know, why don't you have Aizen do his thing and make you an Arrancar?"

"I already is."

Several seconds passed before Ichigo seemed to realize what the other man said, but the obvious question still appeared on his face as clear as day. Pesche noted his confusion, interrupting smoothly.

"Dondochakka has always been like this, even as an Adjucha. He was never as hungry as the rest of us either," Pesche remarked casually, picking at the hilt of his zanpakuto with one fingernail. "Especially not as much as our dear lady here."

"Oh, yeah?"

Nel felt her cheeks warm slightly in embarrassment, purposefully avoiding the grins she knew were pointed her direction.Shaking away the sensation she sighed lightly, eyes alighting on Pesche again, who was now attempting to buff the side of his weapon's sheath with one sleeve.

 _Hmm._

"I think I've had enough of sitting around," she announced, snatching up her own zanpakuto from a table nearby. "Let's go, all of you."

All three looked up at her in surprise.

"Arrancar or not, letting ourselves become lax is unacceptable. It's time for training. That's an order."

Her two followers shrugged and stood easily, Ichigo stubbornly squaring his shoulders in his seat. "If I remember right, I do outrank you…" he muttered under his breath.

O--O--O

Tier Harribel was never one to show much emotion, both literally and figuratively; her mask in previous forms and the remnants of that still hid the majority of her features to this day.

Regardless of that fact, clear surprise was very evident on what was currently visible.

"Training…?"

The previous Third Espada, Nelliel tu Odelschwanck, stood at the entrance to Harribel's tower, her two fracción and Ichigo lingering close behind.

For some reason, there was a large swollen lump protruding through his orange hair.

Tier blinked at it curiously, finally deciding to simply continue; she may have been imagining the satisfied expression on Nelliel's face when she turned back, but chose not to comment on either.

Nelliel responded to her previous question, nodding determinedly. "Sitting around too long dulls the body. A demotion does not mean I intend to let my own skills, or the skills of my fracción, degrade as well."

Harribel could appreciate the sentiment wholeheartedly. Otherwise, she would not have agreed to spar with Shin – Ichigo – in the first place.

 _Speaking of…_

"And you, Ichigo?" she asked calmly, turning her aqua-blue gaze his way. "As before, I would welcome the chance to improve."

The young man glanced at Nel furtively before nodding. "Sounds good."

"Doesn't it?" Nelliel mused, ostensibly to herself.

Ichigo winced, one hand straying towards the lump on his cranium before he caught the motion, folding his arms together rather grumpily.

Harribel smiled slightly behind her mask at the exchange, turning to face her quarters and calling out softly. Within moments, her own followers appeared in the distance.

She swiveled back to see Nelliel turn thoughtful. "Where should we go? I suppose the same place you two used before would be fine…"

"Yeah, should be," Ichigo grunted out. "I don't see why no-"

"Pfffthahahaha! What the hell happened to your head, carrot-top?!"

O--O--O

The thin figure of Ulquiorra stood as a barrier between them and the sunlit interior of Las Noches. Without a sound he raised one pale hand, pointing back the way they had come, punctuating two syllables with deadly calm:

"Out. Side."

O--O--O

"He didn't have to be such an ass about it."

"To be fair, the last time you had any sort of fight within the walls, you vaporized nearly an entire wing of the palace."

"Hey, I was fighting for my life. And yours."

Ichigo grinned at the resignation in Nel's posture, the three Espada standing on a raised dune of sand a ways out from the outer walls of Las Noches, overlooking the fracción from both groups below; Sung-Sun and the tall, almost Amazonian woman named Mila Rose seemed to be holding a curious conversation with Dondochakka, while the remaining two were sparring a little further on.

Ichigo took particular pleasure in seeing the slim figure of one black-haired Arrancar woman, the sleeves of her otherwise typical uniform cut short at her upper arms, being run in circles by an agile – and heartily laughing – Pesche. He caught a glimpse of her face screwed up in annoyance as she whirled in an attempt to catch her opponent with a spinning kick, audibly cursing as he avoided it. The single frontal horn on her mask fragment, otherwise curving back over her short-cut hair, glinted dully in the moonlight as she lunged at the other Arrancar over and over.

Nel caught him watching her and raised one critical eyebrow.

"Don't give me that look, she's getting what she deserves."

"For laughing at your 'bump'?"

"Yes," Ichigo said, with as much dignity as he could muster.

They watched for another minute as Pesche drew his weapon with a elegant flourish. Ichigo squinted at it.

"Is…is the blade _made_ of reiatsu?"

"Yep."

"Then why does he keep it in a sheath?"

"Mostly to mess with people."

With a cry of 'behold, my Ultima!' the wiry man sprung forwards at Apacci, who had revealed the bone bracelets she wore to be her own zanpakuto, flicking them into spinning discs as he approached.

"Now then," Harribel spoke calmly, "shall we start as well?"

Nel blinked at her, as if she had forgotten their purpose in being here, before showing an unusually excited expression.

Without another word, the two women strode across the desert, putting a fair distance between the ongoing fight of their underlings and Ichigo himself.

He was never one for drama, but the prospect of the previous and current holders of the third seat made his stomach twist in expectation. After a moment of this he frowned.

 _Am I a battle junky?_

The thought vanished as the two drew their blades. He watched Harribel in particular; he had been curious about the oddly proportioned scabbard that was affixed to her back for some time now. The woman in question reached back, hooking one finger through the ornamental holes in the guard, flicking the weapon out and catching the hilt with one hand as it spun in a showy display. Oddly enough, it almost looked like a paper cut-out of a sword; the entire middle section was empty, the outside edges being essentially the width and depth of a normal katana tracing out into the shape of an even larger blade.

Even from where he had sat down on the sand, he could see Nel staring curiously at it before Harribel assumed a ready pose, sliding her own more normally-proportioned Gamuza into a defensive stance.

Without a sound the dark-skinned Espada sped forwards, clashing against the other in a shower of sparks. For a moment she locked blades with her elder, steadily pressing harder. It was clear to even Ichigo that Nel was being pushed back, the strain on her face visible.

With the scraping sound of steel on steel, she deflected Harribel's blade to the side, stabbing ahead with blinding speed in the same motion. Harribel recoiled in surprise, barely managing to avoid the hit as she skidded backwards, eyes wide.

"I may be weakened," Nel said calmly, regaining her stance with enviable ease, "but I don't believe I've misplaced my skill."

The words hung in the air dangerously; for all her composure, she had been an Espada for longer than most in Las Noches could remember. Sheer power was no guarantee of safety in this world, it took much more than that to survive for long.

Harribel tilted her head in acknowledgement, taking a more cautious stance herself, and they began again.

Among the rapid clanging of their blades, Ichigo was soon distracted by footsteps in the sand from behind. He turned partially to see Pesche and Dondochakka arrive on his right side, Sung-Sun and the rest on his left, also watching their masters battle.

Apacci snorted softly, looking impressed despite herself. "Well, looks like the old lady still has some tricks."

Ichigo grunted at that, trying to watch the two Espada's movements closely, only passively paying attention to the rest.

"Who won over there?" he asked after a minute, watching as Harribel's strange zanpakuto began to glow mid-strike, the open center filling suddenly with radiant yellow energy. The technique trailed behind like a glowing ribbon as Nel blocked the next strike from the empowered weapon, the force sending her flying back several dozen feet.

Mila Rose, the three extensions of bone covering her wild brown hair glinting in the moonlight, smirked down at her shorter companion. "Apacci lost, of course."

That provoked a growl from the other. "The hell do you mean, 'of course'?!"

"Oh please. He's a natural Arrancar, he was toying with you the whole time."

Apacci scowled at that, finally drawing herself up, looking smug. "At least I didn't have a hard time against the big one! He's not even an Arrancar!"

Ichigo glanced over in amusement, and could easily imagine sparks flying in between them. "Actually," he interjected, "Dondochakka is. That's why he has a zanpakuto.

The two swiveled to look at the man in question, who had his weapon planted in the sand beside where he sat; earlier the tribal Hollow had opened his jaws, reached into his own throat, and with disturbing ease pulled out the massive studded club and declared it his 'sword'. Ichigo was just assuming it was a zanpakuto; partially due to his own discovery about the strange Arrancar earlier that day, and partially to mess with the other two. He was delighted to find he was correct as Dondochakka nodded ponderously in agreement.

Mila Rose and Apacci's mouths fell open at that, Sung-Sun merely hiding a small smile from them behind her sleeve. "Really, you two. How could you not notice that?"

"SHUT IT, SUNG-SUN!" They chorused in accidental unison, turning once again to glare at each other, teeth audibly grinding.

Ichigo felt a smile threatening to raise the corners of his mouth, catching a sly wink from the snake Arrancar as the two grappled with each other furiously. Looking over towards the two Espada still sparring, she daintily lowered herself on to the sand next to him. Ichigo raised a brow at her for a moment before shrugging. "What about you?"

"Hm?"

"What, did you not get a chance to train?"

Sung-Sun regarded him oddly. "Ichigo, it may surprise you to know, but Hollows do not typically practice like this."

"Er…why?"

The slender woman sighed gently, as if reminding herself of his circumstances. "Most simply know how to fight on instinct. Have you ever seen a wild animal practicing how to hunt? It's the same principle; we know how to fight, we know our abilities. If every Hollow had to consciously learn this, our life expectancy would be even shorter than it already is."

The explanation made sense, in a way. From what he could tell from the other Hollow memories he had absorbed, all had known what their strengths were, it was inherent. One missing detail made itself known, and he frowned.

"Okay, I get all that, but what about now? As an Arrancar?"

She tilted her head at him. "What do you mean?"

"Do you all know your zanpakuto's names and everything?"

Sung-Sun's lavender gaze bordered on incredulous for a long moment, possibly the most surprised he'd ever seen the woman visibly show.

"Ichigo," she began, sounding deceptively calm for how suspiciously she was staring him down, "What is the name of your sword?"

The two squabbling behind her caught the tail end of the question, looking rather confused; on his other side Pesche was unashamedly listening in, while Dondochakka was still watching the ongoing battle with an unusual air of serene peace.

Ichigo blinked at all the attention, meeting her eyes awkwardly. "I, uh…I don't know."

O--O--O

Once the spar between Nel and Harribel had finally come to a close, the news to them had resulted in a rather…unusual response from the Seventh Espada.

In the form of her grabbing Ichigo's shoulders and shaking him like a ragdoll, each protest he tried to voice cut off from the whiplash.

"Nel-"

"Why!"

"Hey-"

"Can't!"

"Gah-"

"You!"

"Hrk-"

"Be!"

"Fuck-"

"Normal?!"

"OFF!" With a roar, Ichigo shook his way out of her grip, arms whirling about furiously until he settled in a mock-karate stance.

To one side the Tres Bestias were laughing to themselves, and even Harribel was watching with an amused cast to her aqua-blue eyes.

Nel let out a long breath, composing himself. "Okay, okay. Sorry."

"You should be!"

Some of the fervor from before flashed back into her eyes, and she crossed her arms moodily. "Is that right. I disagree, because any time you cause trouble for whatever reason, I have to worry."

"What are you, my mom?"

The dark laughter she responded with should have warned Ichigo what was coming – but he didn't realize until she was on him

As the two faced off, grappling back and forth and arguing, Pesche snuck up from behind, reaching out one long finger to tap at the enormous sheath on Ichigo's back.

"What are y – hey, heyheyheyOW!" the orange-haired Arrancar had glanced back for a split second, only to have Nel take advantage of the distraction to wrestle him into a headlock, grinding a knuckle into the top of his head. With an impressive show of strength and an annoyed grunt he managed to bodily throw her off, Nel flying away with a surprised yelp.

"I was just wondering," Pesche mused, not seeming to notice the ongoing scuffle, "whether you have a Resurección or a Shikai."

All present paused at the thought, Harribel and her group slightly more confused, while Nel drew herself back up from the aggressive crouch she had been in, looking thoughtful. "You do have both traits, I almost forgot…"

Ichigo watched her suspiciously for another moment, eventually lowering his guard, brow furrowing as he considered that.

He'd never had this so-called 'instinctive knowledge' the rest of the Arrancar seemed to possess. Sure, maybe he had adapted well with what he did know, but what did that say about the upcoming conflict?

Harribel stepped closer, examining the large weapon on his back. "If you do have Shinigami blood, it may simply take time to discover your own abilities as they do. As for otherwise…" her cool gaze drifted up to the mask fragment at his right temple. "Your Hollow abilities may respond in the same way."

"What do you mean, 'take time'?"

Tier folded her arms under her bust – which he very pointedly did not watch – explaining in a patient tone.

"Shinigami, as you may be aware, do not simply start with their zanpakuto. They receive what is known as an asauchi, a blank sword. Through the course of their training and use of that sword, their reiatsu and spiritual essence is instilled into the weapon over time, eventually causing the zanpakuto to form into the most suitable match for that Shinigami. The zanpakuto that they end up with are reflections of their souls, both in form and function. Through meditation, most are able to communicate with the spirit of their zanpakuto, and thereby increase their own affinity with it as well."

Ichigo nodded, listening carefully. What she said matched up with the faint memories from other Hollows he could think of, with one notable difference: none of them had been Arrancar.

He voiced as much as Nel joined them, seeming satisfied with letting Harribel continue.

"We Arrancar all know the names of our zanpakuto from the moment we ascend," the Third Espada mused, still examining him passively. Ichigo glanced around at the newer Arrancar to check; Sung-Sun inclined her head in confirmation, Apacci muttering 'well duh', in response.

He let out a long sigh, flopping back onto the sand. "Well that's great. And here I thought I wouldn't have anything to do for a while, lucky me."

Nel shrugged. "There is at least some good news to this."

"Yeah?"

Her expression turned uncomfortably toothy. "This way, I can kick you around for a good reason. For _training purposes_."

Ichigo leapt back to his feet with an agile twist, feeling a surge of adrenaline sear its way through his blood. He smiled at the sensation; with the return of his self, he had been almost afraid those Hollow instincts had faded. He was much the same as in life, but now combat was…exciting.

 _No reason to not enjoy what I can, not in this place._

The rest moved a short distance away as he drew his zanpakuto with a smooth motion, huge blade pointed up and forwards as he settled into a stance with it for the first time.

 _Breathe._

His loosened his grip, rolling his neck to several satisfying pops. Images and sensations not his own flitted through his head, and he shifted the tip of his sword lower to the ground.

 _Hmm…_

Unfamiliar knowledge had him adjusting his grip slightly; his right hand slid up, hugging the guard closely, while his left wen the opposite way, circling near the tip of the long handle.

He may never have held a real sword before, let alone something of this size, but his body reacted accordingly to the weight of it, and he immediately felt more comfortable.

He noticed Nel watching him warily, knowing she had seen the small adjustments to his stance well enough to know something had changed. Her eyes met his for an instant – just before she vanished from his sight.

 ** _TURN._**

Ichigo whirled, hands guiding his weapon closely around his torso as he spun, intercepting Nel's blade with a loud _clang_. He saw brief surprise in her expression before she wiped the emotion away, falling into a familiar pattern he had seen before in their spars.

He moved to match it; her zanpakuto darted in at his flank, and he immediately rolled his blade over to deflect it. She two-stepped to his opposite side, hilt shooting towards his exposed left side; one hand left the grip of his own sword, catching the blow with unerring accuracy, putting a quick shove into it to offset her posture, other arm sweeping his blade around to catch her in the same motion.

He had the brief satisfaction at again seeing her typical battle-calm break for a moment as she dove under the strike, rolling in the sand and using the momentum to hop back to her feet further away.

"I may have mentioned this before," Nel murmured, clearly regarding him with more caution, "but you adapt far too quickly."

He grinned, both at how he had caught her off guard and how quickly he had adjusted to the huge weapon. "What can I say? I'm a fast learner."

The next few minutes went by like a blur, the ringing of steel and their exhalations the only sounds they made. He fell into a comfortable mix of wide sweeps with both hands, and the sensation of taking one off the hilt to cover any holes in his defense or strike with his fist quickly became second nature. His hierro was turning out to be useful in that regard; he never had to worry about hurting himself, even if he had to deflect a blade to the side with his bare hands. Still, Ichigo could tell that Nel wasn't going all out. She was measuring her blows too much compared to what he had seen before.

 _She's probably trying to give me time to adjust…I was only fighting by hand before._

Part of his mind balked at the notion, and the savage expression that appeared on his face had his opponent visibly recoiling, emerald eyes widening.

 _Not fast enough._

At that thought, he shoved her next swing far to the side, using sonido to flash to her back, tendons in his arms jutting out as he swung down with all of his strength – even then, the Arrancar pivoted in a blur, sword hissing through the air to intercept his.

The instant it did, the larger weapon shattered with a violent sound.

Cursing in surprise, Ichigo staggered back, feeling tiny splinters of metal bounce off his skin, the top half of the blade sticking itself into the sand nearby, and he stared at the jagged stump he still held in dismay.

Nel frowned as she approached, blade sheathed, and crouched down to the severed piece. She sighed and gave him a weary look. "I would say I'm surprised, but that feels like an exercise in futility at this point."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that.

The rest of the two groups joined them as Nel ran a hand gingerly down one side of the broken section, frowning. "I've never heard of an Arrancar's zanpakuto breaking like this before, especially not as easily as that."

The Third Espada nodded in silent agreement as she strode up, her own fracción and Nel's glancing in between each other before giving their own nods.

 _Figures._

Nel picked up the piece, handing it to him gingerly. "As much as I may not like it, I suppose there's only one thing to do now."

O--O--O

"Keep staring like that, and I might start to get the wrong idea. Unless that's what you're going for."

Ichigo started uncomfortably at the casual statement, forcing himself to look around the odd building he had followed the recently demoted Szayelaporro to.

He had rather hesitantly approached the strange individual's domain in the hopes of finding out how to fix his zanpakuto, only to be greeted by an incredibly impatient scowl and an outstretched hand from the pink-haired scientist.

After handing over the fragments he had managed to gather, Szayelaporro had promptly tossed the tinier pieces out a nearby window, inspected the larger broken half of the blade with a critical eye, and strode away without a word. Now, in some tiny room deep in the Espada's quarters, the two remaining halves sat inside some sort of machine, beeps occasionally emanating from its interface.

"So, uh…" Ichigo began after realizing there wasn't really anything else to look at in the barren room, "How did you know I was coming?"

Szayelaporro finally deigned to turn away from the console, raising one thin brow. "How would I not? My surveillance outside of Las Noches has been complete for some time now. As you would know, had you returned soon after your ascension as I requested."

"You did?" He asked warily, deciding not to ask too many questions about this 'surveillance'.

"Yes!" The other man snapped, light glinting off of his spectacles dangerously. "I sent a message to Nelliel the day you returned!"

"Yeah, and I'm saying I never got it!" Ichigo snapped right back.

The Eighth Espada paused.

"Hmph. Regardless, you are here now."

"Right. So, what do you think?"

Szayelaporro turned back to the console, previous ire completely forgotten, tapping away for several moments before speaking slowly. "It seems that Tier Harribel was correct, your zanpakuto is very similar to a Shinigami's asauchi at the moment."

 _Holy shit._

Hiding his surprise at both that information and the fact that Szayelaporro apparently heard the entire conversation so far out, Ichigo folded his arms and stared at his weapon. "So what do we do to fix it?"

"I, personally, will do nothing."

The man stood, removing both pieces of the sword and – again – looked impatiently at the sheath on his back. Ichigo shrugged the strap off and watched as the Espada fit both halves in, the guard clicking softly as it slid home.

"Like a Soul Reaper's zanpakuto, it will heal on its own with time and exposure to your spiritual pressure," he said matter-of-factly, once again taking a seat. "Though of course that would happen with any zanpakuto, regardless of species."

Ichigo frowned, fitting the belt back across his torso. "Then why don't I know it's name like every other Arrancar?"

"Come now, I had thought you were more intelligent than that."

He growled, annoyed. "Something about the fact that I'm not just a Hollow, right?"

"Of course," the Arrancar replied thinly. "I have just confirmed that your zanpakuto has its own spirit within, unlike most Arrancar where it is simply another part of their being. You will need to discover the name on your own, I expect. As for your Hollow self…"

Szayelaporro narrowed his eyes at this. "I suspect there is another reason that part of you is absent. Tell me, _Ichigo Kurosaki_ ," the man sneered, and with a start Ichigo wondered how much of his typically pleasant demeanor was a façade.

"Who are you _really_?"

O--O--O

Nel screwed up her face in concentration as she gripped both hands together, arms straining towards the sky above as she stretched. Letting out a breath she released the grip, rolling her shoulders.

Everyone except Ichigo was still out in the desert surrounding Las Noches; she and Harribel had a rather interesting time organizing different training methods for their fracción to spar against each other, to pleasantly rewarding results. She smiled, thinking of how easily Pesche and Dondochakka had defeated Harribel's three followers only minutes before.

She glanced over to see the one called Apacci still scowling as all five milled together in a close group, apparently examining each other's zanpakuto – Dondochakka's own gigantic club was still by far the most unusual, though the needle-like sai that Sung-Sun had pulled out of one of her voluminous sleeves was certainly interesting.

She was distracted from her thoughts as she sensed a large spike of energy from the direction of Las Noches. After a moment the source shot out from Las Noches at an unbelievable pace, rocketing out into the wastes where it vanished soon after.

She noticed her own fracción glancing in that direction, as well as Harribel and Sung-Sun, all with an unspoken question.

They had all recognized that signature.

O--O--O

 **\--Soul Society, the Seireitei--**

With the miraculous return of Lieutenant Kuchiki, the Thirteen Court Guard squads had received the information it had been sorely lacking previously; the all-too imminent threat of war, and with powers previously unknown, no less.

Since the day after becoming aware of these mask-less Hollows, rarely known in rumor before now as 'Arrancar', the Captain Commander had issued immediate and unquestionable orders to every squad to escalate the training curve for every member available. Captain, Lieutenant, seated member, none were allowed to sit idle, and it was even rumored that Kenpachi was training under Yamamoto himself.

Most rank-and-file Soul Reapers were undergoing large scale fighting maneuvers, group tactics. Many of the higher-ups and seated members were instead either performing jinzen – sword meditation – to increase their affinity with their zanpakuto, or were practicing most hours of the day with their Shikai constantly released.

With the urgency of the orders, those close to achieving Bankai were told to train especially hard, and it was recommended for those individuals to seek advice from the Captains who were available – quite an unusual philosophy for Shinigami, as achieving that final release was no small matter, almost sacred. It had apparently taken the Captain Commander overruling Central 46's doctrines on the matter to allow such a thing in the first place; unfortunately, even with that convenience, progress was anything but reliable.

A heavy sigh and a muttered curse broke the tranquil quiet, and several others in the area glanced at the source.

Renji Abarai of the Sixth Division, legs folded together on the ground, leaned back onto his hands wearily. The elaborate array of tattoos on his forehead and torso were visible for once, the top of his Shihakusho uniform hanging around his waist. It was a rather warm day, but even then steam could clearly be seen rising off his form as he panted.

"No luck, Renji?"

The crimson-haired man started slightly, turning his head to look over at Ikkaku Madarame, seated in the same way under the shade of the surrounding forest's canopy. The bald – shaved, as the Eleventh Division's third seat always insisted – Soul Reaper also had the top half of his uniform shrugged of, his Hozukimaru in its released spear-like state resting across his knees. He had opened one red-tipped eye to look over, skimming over Renji's own zanpakuto as the shape shimmered, returning to it's standard form. "Guess not."

Renji grimaced, rising and sheathing the blade as he stretched, shoulders popping. "Zabimaru keeps saying I'm not strong enough for Bankai yet, and refuses to explain any more than that."

Ikkaku smirked. "That's simple enough, at least it should be. I've heard some zanpakuto can be real stubborn about letting their secrets out."

"Yeah…was – er, is yours the same, Ikkaku?"

The other man ignored the temporary slip, shrugging his muscular shoulders. "Nah, the only problem was that my body originally couldn't handle the power; I nearly passed out the first time Hozukimaru fully woke up. He never held back anything, for better or worse."

Renji had only seen Ikkaku's Bankai once over a decade earlier, and the memory of how it slowly grew in power over time hadn't escaped him. Once the weapon had reached its peak, the sheer weight of the reiatsu it radiated had been enough to bring him to his knees.

He dismissed the memory, knowing it wouldn't help him now. He glanced around at the quiet copse of trees they were sitting in curiously; Yumichika sat in the same meditative stance some distance away, the odd shape of the three identical shotel blades composing his zanpakuto's Shikai balanced carefully on his knees. Further away, he glimpsed who he thought was Kira of Squad Three sparring against Hinamori of Squad Five through the foliage. Another familiar form rose a short distance away and Renji waved to catch his attention. "Hey, Hisagi!"

The lieutenant of Squad Nine turned at the call as he rose with his Shikai in hand, the twin pinwheel-like weapons in his hands linked together by a long black chain affixed to the bottoms of the poles. As they watched, Hisagi reverted it back to a katana and strode over, the stylized '69' on his left cheek becoming visible through the shade as he approached. "Renji, Ikkaku. Any progress?"

Ikkaku made a noncommittal noise at that, while Renji grimaced. "Not really, my zanpakuto doesn't want to cooperate much. Apparently, I'm not strong enough."

Hisagi smiled at the annoyed tone in the last half of the statement. "Well, that's something at least."

"Hmph. What about you?"

The dark-haired Shinigami's expression darkened slightly, and he looked down at the blade he held with something approaching distaste. "It's…going, I guess."

Ikkaku opened his eyes again. "Don't tell me you're still holding back from using your Shikai?" he barked out, and Renji had to resist from making a remark about Ikkaku's own reluctance to show his true ability.

Hisagi, however, just shook his head. "Not with how things are looking. I know the upcoming battles will need me to use it, I've made peace with that."

Ikakku, slightly mollified, simply raised one angular brow in question.

"I think I'm getting close to discovering my Bankai," Hisagi admitted. "My zanpakuto doesn't seem to be hiding anything important about it."

 _Lucky you_ , Renji thought dryly.

At this point the man's expression turned distinctly uncomfortable. "Since mine is so directly focused towards killing, I can't in good conscience use it on any allies, so it's been hard to train. But even without that, Kazeshini himself seems to be looking forwards to the war."

Ikkaku laughed. "I can get behind that." The man energetically hopped to his feet, snatching up his weapon "C'mon, let's find a better spot; you don't have to worry about holding back with me, and I've been looking for a good challenge!"

Hisagi looked as if he wanted to decline, but his expression finally settled on resigned.

"You coming, Renji?"

He chuckled, gripping the sheath of Zabimaru tightly. "Count me in."

O--O--O

 **\--Hueco Mundo--**

Ichigo sped through the endless night, only barely paying attention to where he was headed. He hadn't particularly chosen a destination when he had left Las Noches far behind, and since then he hadn't even bothered to look back. All he had known was an uncontrollable urge to get away, to have time to clear his head.

And he hated it.

The uncomfortable feeling that had been hiding deep inside had finally reared it's head at the revelation that he was still missing some large part of his self. And it wasn't simply that he didn't know how to release his power; it was the implication that it was locked behind some sort of barrier that he couldn't even identify, much less overcome.

And with that, he wouldn't even be able to fight properly.

Ichigo growled, touching down at the height of a massive rise in the sand, impatient eyes sweeping around – with a jolt, he spotted something familiar.

A minute later he stood at the base of a massive stone column rising out of the sand, jutting several hundred feet into the air. After examining the area to be sure, he leapt up, alighting on the smooth flat top of the pillar.

In amazement, Ichigo stepped forwards almost reverently, staring at a group of deep scores into the rock that he instinctively knew – his own claw marks from the time of his evolution. Somehow, he had found his way back by sheer chance.

 _There's no sense of direction in this place, how…?_

Ichigo let out a weary laugh, the lack of actual humor in it odd even to himself. Glancing around one last time, he fell back painfully onto the stone, staring up at the thin crescent of the moon hanging in the sky above.

"What the hell am I doing out here?" he asked, words ringing hollow in the deafening silence. Ichigo closed his eyes soon after.

 _I think…I just need…some rest…_


	15. Chapter 15

Editing/QC: Trolzylulzy

 _Hot damn. You see this? This right here is what happens when I don't get stalled or distracted._

 _Not much to say about this one otherwise. I'm real happy with how it turned out, and I hope that more chapters in the future work out as smoothly and as quickly as this one did._

 _As always, thanks for stopping by._

 **Chapter 15:**

A lot could be said for the recent peace in Las Noches. To anyone who had been in Hueco Mundo for any significant amount of time, the month or so following Sousuke Aizen's return had resulted in the longest uninterrupted stretch of calm while any large amount of Hollows lived in the palace that had ever been seen.

Many who thought that, of course, compared the quiet to a sign on the wall saying 'accident free for _ days'. Each day that passed, the number went higher, and the likelihood of something happening was guaranteed to rise. A few were even counting on it; allegedly some of the more sociable Arrancar had placed wagers on exactly who it would involve.

Many, on the other hand, considered that too obvious a bet.

O--O--O

With an enraged roar and the rumble of crumbling stone, Las Noches shook nearly to it's foundations.

"THOSE LITTLE WHOOOOORES!"

"Yammy," another voice said, and the source of all the noise ceased abruptly, turning ponderously and unintentionally shattering another wall.

The Tenth Espada, Yammy Llargo, currently the height of a two-story building, glared down at the smaller man nearby, though his ire was placed elsewhere. "Ulquiorra," the titanic man grumbled, the deep rumble enough to make the surrounding air vibrate at his size, "The hell do you want?"

His tone might have sounded, to any who didn't know each of the two Espada, as intentionally and blatantly offensive. Somehow though, Ulquiorra Cifer was the only man other than Aizen himself that Yammy ever held any regard for.

The black-haired Arrancar stared up calmly, though even Yammy could see a dangerous glint in those green eyes as he spoke. "I believe Lord Aizen told you not to cause any problems inside Las Noches."

"It wasn't my damn fault, these two bitches attacked me!"

"And you saw fit to grow this large just because of that?"

Yammy growled angrily at the question, and his already massive frame visibly swelled, extending the cracks in the surrounding structure. "One of them stunned me, some stupid electricity shit! By the time I could move again they were gone, it pissed me off."

Ulquiorra examined the other man, curious despite himself; not many could manage to do such a thing, even with so many Arrancar newly created. There were clear scorch marks across the Espada's chest, and one in particular across his lower jaw had left the flesh there an inflamed shade of red.

 _Fire?_

He was distracted by Yammy shifting, teeth gritting in annoyance as he tried to move in the enclosed space. Withholding the tiny spark of curiosity that had appeared in him at the markings, Ulquiorra stopped him with one raised hand, seeming to listen to something for a moment.

"Aaroniero just reported two female Arrancar leaving Las Noches out of the nearest gate." The Fourth Espada gazed back up after relaying the information. "I don't care what you do, Yammy, but do it _outside_ of the walls."

The huge man smirked, the sort of expression that promised bloodshed, and strained for a long moment before shuddering and shrinking to nearly half the size he was before. He stomped away quickly, ducking into a hall leading away.

Ulquiorra turned away as well, eyes tracing over the leftover damage. He suddenly felt the odd urge to sigh.

 _…I am not a custodian._

O--O--O

Far outside the palace and many hours later, two forms dashed across the lonely desert, pointedly heading away from the silhouette of Las Noches far behind. Each looked to the other wordlessly, skidding to a halt in the sand a moment later.

The two appeared nearly identical in their general appearance; young women of an indeterminate age and average height, both clearly Arrancar from the odd bone structures sweeping back over their heads vertically, six elongated teeth remaining affixed to a flared end just above their brows. From there it curved back in a thinner length over their hair, ending in a smooth point, but with several unique additions. For one, both had a long extension of what seemed to be angular sections of some sort of bone protruding from the furthest tip of their fragments, swinging like a macabre sort of ponytail. Above that, they each had what appeared to be a short, rounded sheath nearly a foot long as a permanent addition to their masks, affixed horizontally, with what was clearly a handle secured on the left side, an ornamental colored tassel hanging from the pommel.

Otherwise they appeared fairly normal and still almost entirely identical, only their colors differentiated the two; a loose sort of white sleeveless sweater or jacket outlined in black with a collar reaching hallway up their throats, an ornamental sort of adornment at the collar almost like a bow, then passing over their hips where a short but not immodest pleated skirt sat. Each also wore styled leggings to their mid-thighs and the same type of gloves reaching up to their upper arms, white angular bracelets at their wrists and ankles, the same at the ends of both pieces of clothing, with black knee-high and heeled boots in the typical female Arrancar style. Of the ensemble, the skirt, stockings, and gloves were colored the same as each one's hair; a rich shade of red for one, and a vibrant cobalt blue on the other.

For the colorblind, the most obvious way to tell the difference between the two was their hairstyles, and even then it was a close call; the red twin's hair hung freely to just below her chin, a solitary piece of her bangs poking out from under the wider section of her mask and resting between her eyes. The blue twins hair was the same length with the exception of the front area, which was parted neatly above her forehead by two more tiny angular rings of some unknown material and hung as two small pigtails down to just below her neck, the rest feathered to the sides slightly.

Like many Arrancar, they also had unique markings on their faces; their aqua-colored eyes were outlined by rounded marks of their respective colors, reduced slightly at the innermost corners of their eyes and smoothing into fine points at the opposite sides, rather like ornamental makeup in older times. They also had a thin line of the same at their upper lips, though whether that was another stigmata or actual makeup was impossible to tell.

"Sister," the red woman finally managed to say, though she still appeared winded. "How far are we going to run?"

Her twin, catching her own breath slowly, rose from her crouch and stared back the way they had come before responding. "As far as we need to get away from that lunatic."

"You don't think Yammy would chase us all the way out here? We're nobody, why would he even care?"

The blue woman shook her head slowly, still scanning the sands. Silently she closed her eyes, staying perfectly still for several long seconds while the other watched in worry. With a muttered curse, the blue one opened her eyes once more. "He's still coming alright, and fast."

A heartbeat later they were both on their feet and resuming their flight, leaping over one of the larger dunes with synchronized ease even with their exhaustion. They traveled for some time, the only sound their steps in the sand and their increasingly labored breaths.

Without stopping the red-haired woman glanced back furtively. "I still don't get it," she bit out, shifting her path slightly to avoid one of the tiny crystalline trees poking up at random among the desert. "All we did was bump into the guy, which is hard to avoid when he's so huge." She paused for a moment as she had to navigate around another several obstacles. "It definitely didn't mean he had to try and kill me! He nearly took my head off!"

Her twin agreed, hopping over a rare stone outcropping. "I expected it to stop after that, but I don't think the names you called him helped much," she said breathlessly. "You've heard the rumors about Yammy, he's a loose cannon."

Even before their Lord's return, the Hollow had a reputation for saying or doing whatever he pleased, usually disregarding anyone and everyone in his way. Since becoming an Arrancar that had only worsened, and several seemingly random deaths of lower-tier Hollows could easily be tracked back to the volatile Espada. He was somehow worse than Nnoitra Gilga had ever been, if that was possible; at least the previous Fifth Espada had only a vendetta against one other. Not, of course, that the new Fifth was said to be much better.

In their eyes, most of the Espada were either completely mad or complete sociopaths.

Nearly a full hour passed at their breakneck pace when a massive rounded pillar of stone, possibly the remains of some ancient construction, rose out if the horizon as they approached. Barely needing to confirm with the other, they both swerved towards it, seeking any sort of respite available. They reached the monolith in short time, gasping for air.

"We should have a little bit…of time…" the blue one choked out, plopping down in the sand and leaning against the blessedly cool stone with clear relief. Her sister nodded, barely able to stand as she sank down, legs curled under herself carelessly.

"What then?" she managed to say after a minute. "Where can we even go? We can't fight someone like Yammy, even as Arrancar."

The obvious statement hung in the air as they both regained some semblance of calm. The blue-haired woman shifted to face away from the pillar, her gaze regaining a hint of steel as she spoke, the words striking deep for both: "Anywhere we have to. Even if we have to leave Hueco Mundo."

She made to rise to her feet just before her expression froze, and her head snapped up in panic. "He's-"

She only got a single word out before Yammy slammed down to the ground not fifteen feet away, showering with them with sand as they struggled to stand, legs threatening to give out, their bodies screaming in protest. The huge man, easily over ten feet and half as wide at the moment, leered down with an ugly grin.

"Foooouuund yooooouuuu," he taunted, seeming oddly like an overgrown, spoiled, and casually cruel child. They may have even laughed, were they not overcome with cold fear.

The gigantic Espada's stomped closer, ever so slowly, savoring seeing them unable to run anymore. The two sisters traded one final look, each closing their eyes as Yammy approached, one hand rising…

"Hey."

All three froze, looking up in unison to see a single white-clothed leg dangling over the side of the pillar far above and a orange shock of hair appear, the figure staring down with eyes like shards of yellow crystal.

"The Demon of Hueco Mundo," the red woman whispered, not realizing she had spoken aloud, and her twin felt the worry in her stomach twist painfully, instantly magnifying.

The Fifth Espada hopped off his perch a moment later, landing nearby with casual ease. His gaze swept over them, almost curiously, and for a moment the women thought their time had finally come – but it didn't last, his scrutiny passing to Yammy, and they were both surprised to see his expression turn to one of…distaste?

The last time they had seen the one known in the lower ranks of Las Noches as the 'Demon' up close, he had taken his seat among the Espada; before that, they had personally witnessed him detonate a cero in the middle of his predecessors head. The fact that he no longer wore the defining horns and claws that had been the source of his title previously hadn't changed anything. They feared Yammy, yes – but this man terrified the pair beyond nearly any other.

The Tenth Espada, for his part, hid his own surprise behind a sneer, matching the other's glare in kind. "What, did I interrupt your nap, _Ichigo_?" He sneered out the name mockingly, and they caught their breath.

"Something like that," the other said slowly, and they again were shocked to hear him sound so very…normal. The orange-haired man crossed his arms. "So, what's going on here?"

Yammy's cocky grin faded slowly, crag-like brows beetling together. "None of your business, that's what."

"Is that right?"

All present heard the threat in his tone, and the sisters could practically see Yammy's hackles rise. To their unending surprise, he deflated after a moment, snorting. "Whatever. Waste of my damn time."

With that statement he made to walk around the other towards the two, and they shrank back impulsively against the stone – with an unbelievably fast movement, the Fifth Espada took one step closer, right hand pressed against the larger Arrancar's side, and _pushed_.

With a howl of surprise, Yammy shot into a large dune over fifty feet away like a bullet, disappearing in the ensuing eruption of sand that exploded upwards from the impact.

"Not letting you do what you want _is_ my business," they heard Ichigo – though they were having a difficult time reconciling the normal-sounding name with who stood in front of them – mutter, stalking away after Yammy with another brief glance their way.

They each watched in no small amount of incredulity as Yammy thrashed his way out of the sand, bellowing with rage, and the two collided with the sound of boulders crashing together, the sheer force of it making them shiver.

"I don't know what's going on anymore," the red woman stated, sounding rather shell shocked. Her twin couldn't agree more.

O--O--O

For the first time since he'd awoken in the depths of this world, Ichigo wasn't particularly enjoying a fight.

He growled in annoyance, dodging several wide swipes from Yammy and leaning in to punch at the man's kidney. It didn't have nearly the effect he wanted, and for a brief moment he missed his claws.

 _I can't even use my zanpakuto yet either,_ he realized, another wave of irritation sweeping over him. The large blade, apparently more fragile than it should be, was still mending across his back, but he had seen no sign of repair as of yet in the day or two he had been out in the wastes.

 _Funny how even my damn sword doesn't work right, I'm clearly defective._

The thought distracted him enough that he didn't see a sweeping blow from Yammy, one massive fist slamming into his stomach like a sledgehammer. He felt something in his torso snap with agonizing clarity, and the next thing he knew he was planted solidly in the now-crumbling side of the stone monolith, dust and rubble falling around his head. He coughed painfully, the acrid taste of copper coating his tongue.

Ichigo felt his stomach heal, and through the dust he saw the two Arrancar girls from before, staring up at him in a strange mix of fear and…hope?

 _Hah…all this power, and it doesn't even matter. I can't even help a couple of-_

 ** _"Ichi-nii!"_**

At the sudden memory a ragged breath caught in his throat. One hand curled into a fist and he levered himself forwards out of the stone with a stubborn grunt. Freeing himself, he kicked off from the pillar, a surge of adrenaline hitting his system again.

Even as he caught Yammy by surprise with a flying kick to the temple he couldn't stop an angry scowl slipping out, more at himself than anything else.

 _The fuck am I doing,_ he swore, dipping and dodging through a furious barrage of red projectiles Yammy was sending with a flurry of punches – they looked like a tiny cero, fired in the blink of an eye; and, if Yammy wasn't so laughably slow, may have actually had a chance to hit him. With his fury growing, Ichigo whirled past, a knee to the back of the huge Espada's head sending him face-first to the ground – and right into a conveniently placed boulder – with a satisfying crack.

 _I swore to myself I'd keep fighting, dammit!_

Yammy's form swelled by several inches and he roared upwards in rage, swinging wildly, and caught him with a heavy fist. Ichigo managed to block it but the force still sent him skidding back, his arms stinging from the impact.

 _But what's the fucking POINT…_

Yammy lunged, arms stretched out to catch him; with such a inviting wide target, it was the least he could do to let a cero grow in his palm, letting it blast straight into the other's open mouth.

 _...if I can't WIN?!_

Ichigo swore as Yammy caught his ankle, the hand like a vise. He felt the bones there shatter as the other Espada squeezed, a mocking laugh accompanying his pained grimace.

He leapt away with his good leg, the crushed ankle twisting nauseatingly and healing in midair before he landed, and he took a moment to calm himself.

 _Listen to Nel, relax…letting myself lose control won't get me anywhere…think. What am I missing? What's so different now? I've never struggled like this, and the odds before were way worse…_

With a flash, the offhand remarks from his first time meeting Szayelaporro appeared in his mind.

 _"You resemble a beast already, no reason to fight like one as well. Unless you want to, of course."_

Something about the words rang in his mind, and he felt something in his body shift. The sensation was so unexpected he barely noticed Yammy letting loose a cero in his direction, and he tumbled out of the way in a panic.

He knew that sensation.

Focusing only on evasion, Ichigo darted backwards, Yammy pursuing with an angry bellow.

 _What was that?_

He let his attention wane from the fight, searching for the feeling once more, but it wasn't – he nearly stumbled in shock as he realized what it was.

The same feeling back from before he had become a Vasto Lorde.

As he focused, he could picture the same small ember in the center of his Hollow hole; unlike before, the coal seemed to be burning bright, the flames radiating warmth pulsing out in waves like a heartbeat. His brow furrowed in confusion.

 _Why didn't I notice that before?_

He was momentarily distracted as the Tenth Espada rushed him, and he leapt up and off one massive shoulder, soaring away. He barely heard the man roar 'stop running', but he was so absorbed in examining his findings the words hardly registered.

 _The last time I noticed this, it lead to a huge stepping stone…what am I missing this time?_

Yammy once again interrupted, crashing down from above. An angry roar burst out of Ichigo and he landed a single savage punch to the huge Arrancar's upraised arm.

To their surprise, the blocking limb snapped with a sound that made him wince, the bone shattering, and the other Espada skidded backwards while swearing violently.

The sensation in his chest flared in response.

Ichigo glanced at his hand, clenching it slowly.

 _Hmm._

O--O--O

The Arrancar twins, hiding behind a large piece of stone that had shattered off from the Fifth Espada slamming into the nearby monolith earlier, watched the ongoing fight in awe.

The red-haired woman shook herself uncomfortably as she saw Yammy's arm break. "Why are we still here?!" she whispered, nudging her sister urgently. "We should get out of here while we still can!"

The blue woman was still staring towards the two Espada in the distance and didn't reply for a long moment. "Sister, can you feel that?"

"The feeling that we should have left ages ago?"

"No, no…" she waved away her twin pulling at her gloved hand insistently.

The crimson sister sighed heavily, peeking back over the stone. She squinted, first at Yammy, then at Ichigo. She blinked. "I…I think so? That guy feels different all of a sudden, right?"

"His spiritual pressure, it's… _changing_."

The two traded an astonished look before peering back over the stone intently, escape forgotten.

O--O--O

The fire emanating from his core had reached the point where Ichigo could barely hold back anymore. A fury unlike any he had felt before raged through his veins, and each hit he landed on Yammy pulverized the surrounding area from the resulting shockwave.

He felt the coal beating faster, and he struggled to keep control with each passing second.

 _What am I not getting here?!_

Something in his head was blocking the heat from spreading any further, he knew that, but it was difficult enough keeping Yammy off of him to try and figure it out and stay composed at the same time.

As he thought that, the coal flared once more, and he nearly choked at the blinding pain that shot through him. He froze, Yammy taking the opening to send him crashing into the sand with a bone-breaking kick.

Ichigo struggled to rise, leaning on one knee heavily as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

 _This is really…starting…to piss me off…_

The coal pulsed again, and he braced himself for the searing pain…but it never came.

The world seemed to freeze, and he experienced a single moment with perfect clarity; and he knew.

Nelliel had taught him that composure, precision, and the controlling of one's emotions was the way to win every fight. And he had agreed, at first; letting his emotions get the better of him had gotten him into a lot of trouble, both now and when he was human.

 _But that's the problem…I'm fighting like I'm still only human. Like what I'm doing now isn't worth risking everything else for._

The sensation radiating in his Hollow hole condensed itself before slowly seeping out into the rest of his limbs like molten liquid, inch by agonizing inch.

 _Letting loose may have gotten me into a lot of trouble…but I never could have lived with myself by taking the easy way out._

Several memories from his younger years came flooding back at the thought, and he almost laughed at the way it all seemed so obvious.

 _There's no reason to think about all that; I'm fighting for so much more now._

Time began to speed up again, and he could see Yammy raise one car-sized fist above him.

 _No more worrying about the consequences._

Sound began to return, the Tenth Espada's roaring laughter at seeing him kneel booming in his ears.

 _No more trying to keep myself in check._

Ichigo felt the sword strapped to his back heat up, nearly burning him through its sheath and the fabric in between.

 _No more ignoring my instincts._

A single word, a name, rose to the surface of his mind; a title he'd never seen, heard, or even thought before. Regardless, it resonated with every particle of his being.

 _NO MORE._

His eyes, though he couldn't see it himself, shone a bright yellow as he finally raised his head.

"Run wild," he rasped.

O--O--O

The twins watched in horror as Yammy fell upon the kneeling form of the Fifth Espada, his huge fist drilling towards the smaller man. They saw him mutter something just as he raised his head to meet the oncoming blow –

With a movement too fast to see, one arm shot up, catching Yammy's hand with his own; the sand both behind him and to the sides exploded out, the two women nearly blown away even from their distance by the force, and they had to wipe the grit out from around their eyes to see again.

Ichigo hadn't moved an inch.

Yammy let out a pained howl, recoiling as his hand bled from a dozen different points, white hints of bone poking out from shattered fingers. They both stared incomprehensibly, turning back to see the orange-haired man bare his teeth in a chilling smile and whisper a single word.

The sisters screamed in surprise as the desert around them exploded with the sound a bomb going off.

They clung to each other desperately as the sand whipped around in a frenzied storm, the entire area tinged an ominous crimson. The wind eventually settled and they sat back up, almost too scared to look out from their cover. Working up the courage, they peered back out to see a huge cloud of sand and smoke still swirling around like a storm cell. Through the haze they saw the barest flutter of white fabric at the closest edge, whipping away immediately afterwards

They heard several pained grunts from what sounded like Yammy and a small red object shot out of the dust, clattering against the pillar behind them before it stuck into the sand; the huge Espada's zanpakuto, still sheathed.

An instant later the cloud dispersed as a shockwave rippled out to reveal Yammy facing away from them and bent halfway over, audibly retching. The man slowly keeled over backwards and slammed to the ground, kicking up sand from his sheer weight. Before it hid him they saw dozens of deep gashes across his entire body, a painful-looking crater of bruised flesh in the center of his stomach. Ichigo, curiously, was nowhere to be seen.

"Yo."

The two jumped violently in surprise, one releasing a mortifying squeak, and they spun in panic. They glimpsed the barest hint of a long white coat rimmed in a bright red, the ragged edges fluttering down to the ground, and two distinctively angled horns before the shape wavered briefly, resolving back into the familiar form of the Fifth Espada. He glanced over them for several seconds before giving a disarmingly cheery grin, pointing one thumb back over his shoulder towards the distant silhouette of Las Noches.

"C'mon. Let's head back home."

O--O--O

Far away, in the bowels of Las Noches, a dry chuckle was the first to break a suspenseful silence.

"Well well," Ichimaru mused, his typical thin smirk spreading wider as he turned away from the monitors showing an expanse of the desert far outside. "Our little 'White' is all grown up. I think I'm gonna cry."

Tousen, in the opposite corner, mused quietly to himself, while Aizen himself still reclined in a simple chair close enough to have seen the video. An unusual energy flashed through his cold eyes as he looked at a freeze frame of the battle next to their old records from over twenty years prior.

He smiled, and both Tousen and Gin witnessed an excitement there that hadn't been present since long before their exodus from the Seireitei.

"To think that the son of an infected Quincy and a Soul Reaper would become a Hollow after death," he mused, standing slowly. "It seems that my original theory was correct, and he continues to exceed our estimations. How interesting."

Gin glanced back to the screens casually. "Even with that, shouldn't we get someone out there? I thought you had plans for Yammy."

"He is in no mortal danger."

The former Third Captain opened one sky-blue eye in surprise, turning back to inspect the monitors fully. He laughed several moments later. "Color me impressed, so he is still alive."

He looked to Tousen, who appeared equally surprised.

"What a kid," Gin murmured softly, a flash of some unknown emotion flitting over his face as he turned away from the other two. "Scary, scary."

O--O--O

 **\--The Human World, Karakura Town--**

The town of Karakura in rural Japan had always been a peaceful place, despite it's more supernaturally inclined nature. Most of the residents lived out their lives without ever knowing that their little town was a hotbed for the spiritual, with the possible exception of the 'renowned' Don Kanonji taking his worldwide tour through recently. They were more concerned with the occasional petty theft or accident; the incident at the Kurosaki Clinic all those months ago was one of the more severe, and many friends and clients of the family had since expressed their condolences for the loss. Since the passing of their eldest son, the two sisters and father had been seen spending much of their time grieving together. Finally though, things had settled back down, the clinic had eventually reopened, the younger siblings resumed their school studies, and the town returned to normal.

As normal as it could be, that is.

O--O--O

Far on the eastern side of town sat a small, traditional Japanese two-story wooden building. For as long as anyone in the town could remember, it had remained a nearly permanent fixture even with the plots around it changing hands and shapes every couple decades.

Despite it being an open shop, most typically forgot it was there, with the exception of some of the neighborhood children who occasionally went in to buy candy. Otherwise, the place almost never had any customers, and for those who remembered it for any longer than a minute typically wondered how it remained in business. The thought always passed though, as did any memory or lasting image of the building other than the firm impression that it should remain undisturbed.

It had the same sign in formal kanji hanging above the entrance as it had since it was first erected: "Urahara Shop."

"Heeey, Yoruiiichiii~"

A casual call was the only sound in the store one quiet afternoon, the sun slowly setting in the distance and turning the sky a beautiful orange-red.

The front door slid open about a foot, a thin, scraggly-haired man wearing a green and white striped bucket hat peeked out, eyes barely visible under the brim.

"Huh, she was just here…"

The man blinked owlishly as he noticed a silhouette in casual clothes appear walking down the street, turning towards the shop. His eyes widened for a brief moment before he grew a slight smile, opening the door wider and stepping out.

He was dressed in a dark green set of clothes, a black coat with a pattern of white diamonds around the hem over the rest. Traditional wooden geta sandals adorned his feet, clanking softly on the dirt as he faced the person approaching. "It's been a long time…Isshin."

The other man stopped a fair distance away, forming a neutral expression as he gazed back. A slight stubble adorned his face, spiky black hair and ruggedly handsome features completing the impression of a fit man in his early forties. Sharp brown eyes inspected the other for a long moment before he snorted rudely. "Well isn't that just perfect. You haven't changed a bit, Urahara."

The owner of the aforementioned shop chuckled at that. "I suppose so. You seem to be doing well, I'm glad."

"Hmph."

Urahara's humor faded and he reached up to remove his hat, holding it to his chest with one hand respectfully. "I'm very sorry to hear about your son."

Isshin's expression tightened for a brief moment before he waved it away. "Yeah. I came to ask you something about that, actually."

"What, you didn't just want to say hello?"

He smiled again at the responding grunt and moved to open his front door wider, gesturing inside.

O--O--O

"So," Urahara drawled, taking a seat on a comfortable-looking cushion across from the other man, who was still standing. "How can I help you?"

Without saying a word, Isshin closed his eyes. A second later his body flashed, splitting in two. His regularly-clothed form fell forwards limply, only to be caught and lowered to the ground. He now stood in the full black shihakusho of a Shinigami, what appeared to be a captain's Haori partially wrapped around his left sleeve, the bottom half fluttering free dramatically. Urahara whistled. "Well, isn't that a sight. Haven't seen you outside of that gigai since we first met."

"Mmh." With another grunt, he turned the false human body over, facing upwards. "As I told you after Masaki passed, the link was still active."

In their first meeting, an unusual black-colored Hollow had attacked both him and Masaki Kurosaki, a Quincy, before being killed. Soon after that, it was revealed to have merged with the woman's soul, and had nearly devoured her; were it not, of course, thanks to Isshin providing his own soul to link to and counter the beast, thereby allowing Masaki to live her life free of its influence.

The events of that day coming easily, Urahara nodded thoughtfully. "We knew at that point the Hollow that originally attacked her had passed on to your son."

Isshin heaved a long breath, finally deciding to sit down as well. "The reason I'm here today is because after…after Ichigo died, those chains were still in place."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened again, darting down to the gigai. Isshin's next statement had him inhaling sharply: "They broke today. Not faded, but _snapped_."

"And so you regained your Shinigami powers," Urahara finished, eyes focused on something far distant.

Isshin's crossed his arms, letting out a long breath. "I need to know if you can still go through the records from this body."

The other man blinked before smiling slyly. "If you recall, you had me disable all recording functions on this particular gigai a while before you and Masaki got married," he teased.

"You know damn well what I mean," Isshin snapped, glowering.

Urahara ignored the way the Shinigami's face had turned red, smiling to himself. "I can, yes," he said in response. "It will take some time, but I should be able to retrieve all the data about the link itself." He spent several minutes moving the limp construct to the rear of his shop, coming back to see Isshin still seated, an unusually pensive expression on his face as he stared at the floor.

"If I may ask," Urahara said, causing the man to blink as if remembering where he was and glance up. "What do you plan to do with that information? If the Hollow survived?"

Isshin's brow furrowed. "Then it's my duty to put it down. I owe it to my family."

The shopkeep nodded at that, reseating himself before slowly voicing what had been growing at the back of his mind. "And what if, however unlikely, that it's still attached to the soul of your son?"

The Soul Reaper closed his eyes, but the other could still see the tendons in his arms clench.

"Then I'll do what I have to."

O--O--O

 **\--Hueco Mundo, Las Noches--**

Nel had to repress a grin at the sight of Ichigo leaning forwards in his seat, left hand planted on one knee, right propping up his chin on the other. His expression was fixed in a truly impressive scowl, and one of his orange eyebrows was twitching every few seconds.

He was flanked by two unfamiliar women.

Nel had inspected the two nearly identical female Arrancar as they had followed close on the heels of her erstwhile protégé not two minutes before, but she still found it hard not to glance between them curiously. Bracing herself so as not to burst out laughing at Ichigo's ongoing irritation, she cleared her throat. "Now then. You two are…?"

"Yin, milady," the cobalt-colored one on the Espada's right said, hands clasped in front of her as she bowed respectfully.

"Yang, milady," the crimson girl followed, mimicking her twin perfectly.

 _Don't laugh, don't laugh…_ Nel had to remind herself as Ichigo's eyebrow picked up it's pace on his forehead. "And why are you here?"

Rising from their bows, the two – she had to assume they were sisters, there was no other explaining their similarities – traded a look before nodding to each other and facing forwards once more.

"We owe the Fifth Espada our lives," Yin said, taking the lead.

"We cannot simply ignore that debt," Yang finished.

"And I _said_ ," Ichigo ground out, very visibly trying to keep his cool, "that you didn't have to worry about that. Or about Yammy."

The Seventh Espada's lips parted in surprise; she, along with most likely the majority of the residents in Las Noches, had felt the presence of the largest member of the Espada leaving the palace earlier that day and the later massive eruption of Ichigo's spiritual pressure from somewhere far out in the desert, but she hadn't quite put the two together quite yet.

The calm expression Yin wore faded, a worried frown forming as she turned her gaze to Ichigo. "I would agree, milord-"

"Don't call me that."

"-but," she continued determinedly, her blue-rimmed eyes narrowing slightly, "I believe you left that lunatic alive."

Ichigo went to say something, but couldn't seem to get the words out. He finally deflated and looked away from her judging stare. "Well yeah, I already kinda killed _one_ Espada..." he muttered sheepishly.

Yang nodded, her expression full of regret. "Due to that, we are no longer safe in Hueco Mundo."

"Except of course," her sister followed with impeccable timing, "by your side, milord."

The double-teaming had Ichigo wilting slightly, though they managed to catch a mumbled 'don't call me that' as his head drooped.

Nel hid her chuckle behind a delicate cough at the display; she already liked these two.

"In that case, Ichigo," she declared, repressing a satisfied tone at being able to finally enforce her next words, "I believe you should take responsibility for your…inactions, as it were. However well-intentioned." Her true motive still colored her voice ever so slightly, and Ichigo looked back up to glare at her.

"I know what you're doing," he accused, jabbing one finger in her direction.

"What, making sure that two exemplary Arrancar are protected from Yammy? You know as well as I do that the man does what he pleases."

At the word 'exemplary', the twins sent her grateful looks. Ichigo, for his part, resumed his previous pose – this time, both of his eyebrows started twitching. He muttered something incomprehensible.

"…What was that?"

Audibly grumbling, the orange-haired Arrancar closed his eyes in exasperation. "Fine. You two can stick around."

Yin and Yang – how well their names fit still amused her – grew a matching pair of brilliant smiles.

An instant later Pesche entered the the room from behind, remarking, "Oh good, a proverbial leash! Good luck keeping him out of trouble, this one attracts problems like a magnet."

Nel couldn't resist any more – she nearly fell out of her chair laughing.


	16. Chapter 16

Editing/QC: Trolzylulzy

 **\--Tiny hotfix, 5/25/19: Thanks to SomethingAncient for pointing out that I somehow mixed up Kiyone with Isane. Fixed for accuracy.--**

 _The more I write, the more I realize how little I truly planned out before starting this, and how much faster I'd be able to release chapters if I had._

 _Hindsight 20/20,_ _right?_

 _Anyways, had a couple of questions in the comments this time that I can reasonably answer, though of course I can't say on certain subjects. Spoilers and such._

 _One was from an anonymous reader about Ichigo's Adjucha form from the very beginning_ _; which, I will freely admit, I took from several inspirations. I had the general body design in mind, a sort of mix between Behemoth from Final Fantasy (though smaller) and a more reptilian concept, then appropriated details from Ichigo's Hollow form when he was training with the Visords; the black markings, the tail and such._ _The mask I designed myself, though that was pretty loose to allow for reader interpretation._

 _The other question, from Junko-chanisdangerous, was about Zangetsu. Which, while I can't answer at this time, happily this chapter hints at what's going on. I can at least point out that even with everything that happened in canon, the reforging and all, that it was in fact still just Zangetsu. I think that's important. The issue of his zanpakuto will certainly be relevant as the story progresses, and I do have plans. Beautiful plans. Plans of which I am quite excited to implement down the road._

 _That's_ _it for now. As always, I hope you enjoy, and I'll see you next time._

 **Chapter 16:**

Yin had expected many things from serving directly under an Espada, especially one with a less than savory reputation; she'd expected strict orders, sudden and violent mood swings, and even life-threatening situations for her and her sister. Instead, she found the man they now followed to be nothing short of – dare she say it – pleasant.

His moods swung from casually disinterested to oddly amicable at any given time, lapsing into intense silences when he was deep in thought, orange brows meeting in an angular 'V' as he unconsciously scowled. The first and only true command he had ever given them was during their first night staying in the quarters belonging to their new leader, demanding that the two of them get some sleep after the day's hectic events...to which they had been only too happy to agree, finding an empty bed and immediately succumbing to exhaustion, both mental and physical. The next morning had found them reinvigorated, what they considered to be a new lease on life fresh in their eyes, and ready to begin their duties.

Of which they had distressingly few.

The Fifth Espada had denied their insistence to wait on him in nearly any regard other than bringing news from around the palace. He regularly vanished without a word, reappearing hours later and expressing surprise at their indignation – the platters of food he occasionally brought back managed to placate Yang most of the time. In those instances, the elder sister had caught the Espada watching the younger redhead several times with something resembling fond nostalgia before he would start uncomfortably, shaking his head and turning away with a frown.

The few times that they had managed to catch the man before he slipped away showed them other small glimpses of what lay behind the cool exterior. Genuine cheer when around Lady Nelliel and her fracción; seeming honesty when talking to most others; the way he deliberately avoided looking too closely at Lady Harribel during their training sessions – though that had gotten him smacked around by the dark-skinned woman more often than not recently, and he was slowly adjusting.

It was the little things, Yin had come to realize, that made the orange-haired Arrancar so…personable. One side of him was still the feared Espada, cold yellow eyes promising destruction when angered. But the other was just a man, slightly lost, making his way through the dark world they inhabited as best he could.

 _Aren't we all,_ she thought, a touch dryly.

Dismissing her contemplations, she gave Yang a meaningful look as she stood, realizing it was time. Her identical twin nodded, blowing an errant red bang out of her eyes as she rose, and they both moved towards Ichigo's quarters, heels clicking on the floor in perfect synchronicity.

Upon knocking and receiving a grunt in response, the sisters entered and knelt in one smooth motion. Yin raised her head after a moment to see the Espada regarding them with a distinctly disgruntled expression – he knew what they were here for. They had been at odds over it since soon after their initial meeting.

Today, the matter would be settled.

Yin was the first to begin, blue pigtails swaying gently as she leaned forwards with her proposal.

"Master Kurosaki?" she asked.

"No," Ichigo immediately answered.

Yang, directly to her right, was next.

"Your Majesty?"

"No," came the expected reply.

Yin repressed her exasperation, mind searching for another suggestion as her sister spoke.

"Lord Kurosaki?"

They both saw a flash of some unknown emotion in his yellow eyes, and if she didn't know better Yin would have called it fear.

" _Hell_ no."

Both sisters pouted.

They had both been pestering him about the correct form of address for days now, and the only thing they had learned from it was that being called such made him exceedingly uncomfortable. Regardless, it was both a show of their respect and a display that he was, in fact, an Espada. It was only appropriate.

The process, however, was akin to pulling teeth.

Yin came back from her own thoughts again, and found herself amused at the outlandish titles Yang was blurting out in mild desperation.

"Your Eminence?"

"No."

"Imperator?"

"Wha-no."

"Baron?"

"No! I'm Japanese!"

Yin imagined he deeply regretted reminding her of that at the sight of the red-haired woman blinking and looking rather thoughtful.

"…Goshujin-sama?"

The look of abject horror on the Espada's face was something that would remain in her mind for a long time, and she fought back a smile.

For a brief moment Yang looked relieved before she continued bombarding him with questions. Yin examined Ichigo as the two bickered back and forth, thinking.

 _He clearly prefers to be relaxed over everything else, insisting we just call him by his first name. Simple, uncomplicated. Maybe…_

She raised one gloved hand to stop her sister mid-rant, the corners of her mouth quirking up at seeing the hazy shimmer of heat wafting off of the riled woman's silhouette.

"Master…" she ventured tentatively.

The other woman, as usual, seemed to pick up on what she was thinking, interrupting the man before he could shoot the suggestion down. "Master…Ichigo?"

His expression went through several varying degrees of conflict before he let out an aggrieved sigh. "Fine."

Yin looked to her sister, realizing they were both growing matching smiles, and they looked forwards again –

Ichigo was gone, the small cup he had previously been nursing in one hand spinning in a lazy circle on the table.

Her cobalt eyes shot to the opposite side of the room to see the man's huge zanpakuto mysteriously gone from its place in the corner.

Yang was typically the one to show signs of her abilities when riled – Ichigo himself seemed to get the most amusement from it – but even the crimson-haired woman flinched in surprise as the lights nearby suddenly flickered, the air smelling of ozone.

"Well then. Let's go after him," Yin said, tone betraying not the slightest hint of irritation as she rose. Her sister frowned.

"How? You know how crazy fast he is."

She nodded, stalking out of the room. "That's true. But do you know what he isn't?"

"What?"

"Good at hiding his spiritual pressure."

O--O--O

To their great relief, it didn't take very long to catch up to their errant master; as they had both realized, stealth wasn't his forte.

What they hadn't expected was to regret their persistence almost immediately.

O--O--O

Yang felt herself shivering, though the sensation had nothing to do with how cold it may have been and entirely on where they happened to be.

She and her sister, in hot pursuit of Ichigo, had followed the lingering trail of his reiatsu all the way to one of the least visited places in the entirety of Las Noches: the domain of Szayelaporro Grantz. To their knowledge, this was not a place to visit unless you were entirely devoid of common sense or had no value for self-preservation. Yet still, here they were, buried deep in the recesses of the maze-like complex.

The fact that they had not yet seen anyone else was of no comfort.

"Master."

The orange-haired Arrancar glanced back at her worried whispering.

"Where are we going?"

He grimaced, turning forwards as the trio reached yet another intersection of corridors. He looked down each of the three identical hallways splitting off from where they now stood, perfectly mirroring the same set of smooth white halls they had been walking down for what seemed like hours.

"I dunno," he replied, infuriatingly calm for the situation, and she withheld an annoyed growl. She noticed the corners of her sisters lips twitch up for a moment in her direction, though she was still keeping a wary eye on their surroundings.

"You said you'd been in here before though, right?"

"Yeah."

"And?" she pressed.

"It was uh…different back then," the man admitted, sounding sheepish. Yang felt the strong urge to burn something.

"So we're lost."

He let out a defeated breath. "...Yeah."

With that admission the lights promptly went out.

Yang swore under her breath and flicked one wrist, a small orb of fire forming above her open palm and growing to the size of an apple, lighting up the immediate area with a warm glow. Ichigo blinked at it curiously, appearing impressed, and her temper abated at the small touch of pride that arose. Ignoring Yin's knowing look, she raised the orb higher, feeding it more energy. It swelled rapidly, brightening the hallway –

And illuminating a ghostly pale face hovering just over her shoulder.

With an ungainly scream she twisted in panic, hurling the fireball at the figure before she could think. To her horror she heard a snap of fingers and the energy simply vanished, darkness falling back over the three Arrancar instantly. Another snap, and to their relief the lights flared, revealing a pink-haired and spectacled figure standing not two feet away.

Ichigo's expression brightened at the sight. "Hey doc. Where've you been?"

The Eighth Espada – Yang tried to ignore that their master had just called the insane man 'doc' – raised one perfectly thin eyebrow at him. "I've been occupied. Did the fact that the labyrinth was active not tell you that I was not receiving visitors?"

"Well sure, but by the time I realized, we were in too far to find the way out."

Szayelaporro's other pink brow rose to join its brother.

"It is designed otherwise. Clearly," the Espada smirked at some hidden joke, "I was not prepared for your caliber of idiocy."

Yang couldn't help it – she snorted out a surprised laugh, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth as the scientist's cold eyes traced over the two women.

"Hmm. And who are your little friends?"

Ichigo introduced them, as both she and her sister were finding it difficult to speak, and Szayelaporro's pink eyes glinted unsettlingly.

"Ah yes, the twins. You truly are a magnet for interesting things, aren't you Ichigo?"

The way the man lingered over the name made her distinctly uncomfortable, as did the flicker of some dark and unknown thing in his expression as he examined them critically. Without warning the Espada straightened. "But, as I said, I am occupied. I have no time for such trifles if this is a social visit."

Ichigo ignored the casual dismissal, squaring his shoulders, and stated casually. "My zanpakuto is fixed."

Szayelaporro waved the words away with a small amount of scorn. "Trivial. I told you it would."

"You did," their master admitted, a triumphant expression forming. "But it only healed after _resurrección_."

The man froze mid-step, halfway through turning away, and smoothly pivoted on one heel to stare at him. Slowly, an eerie too-wide smile split his thin features.

"Follow me."

O--O--O

Szayelaporro led the trio further in silently, yanked the oversized weapon off of the other Espada's back without ceremony, and set about examining the unsheathed and fully restored blade.

Ichigo stood nearby, toned arms folded and yellow eyes watching him carefully as he worked, his two little attendants doing their best to subtly hide themselves behind his broad shoulders. The Arrancar found it amusing to occasionally let his eyes wander over, seeing them freeze like a deer in headlights, but never let the entertainment distract him too much.

 _Now, to summarize…_

"Why the zanpakuto itself is separate from your _resurrección_ remains a mystery, but the blade is still in a semi-dormant state," he proclaimed after a lengthy silence, "Though it does appear that your progress has awakened it some."

The Fifth Espada raised one curious orange brow, stepping closer. "How do you know?"

Szayelaporro fixed him with a disbelieving stare, and Ichigo shifted uncomfortably until he pointed one thin finger at the hilt. "Please, for what little sanity I still care to possess, tell me you at least noticed those."

The man stepped up to the table the sword was laying on, lips parting in surprise at seeing what he meant, and the Espada let out a pained sigh. He was pointing at the new addition of two short blue tassels attached to the base of the red-wrapped handle, which apparently the owner had not yet realized were there.

"Hey, I was worried about the blade itself being fixed," Ichigo said defensively, though he did have the decency to look at least a little embarrassed.

Szayelaporro sighed and adjusted his glasses. "No matter. The change is clear progress, as is achieving _resurrección_. I imagine it is only a matter of time until we see how it evolves."

"Um…"

Both Espada turned to see the blue-haired twin start under their attention, taking a brief moment to gather herself before asking, "What do you mean, 'evolve'?"

"Ah, so they _can_ speak," he mused, the woman turning pale from his attention. Szayelaporro felt a small smirk grow, honestly rather impressed at her composure, though it didn't seem to reassure either Arrancar. "I'm rather surprised you hadn't told them yet," he said, looking to Ichigo as he slid the weapon back across the table.

"I don't make it a habit of telling people my life story," he grumbled, lifting and sheathing the weapon in one smooth movement – impressive, considering the unwieldy size of the thing.

Ignoring the comment, Szayelaporro felt the call of his earlier work beckoning, turning away and waving one careless hand over his shoulder. "Try not to break your zanpakuto in the meantime. I have work to do and no time for other distractions."

"Do I want to know what it is?"

The look he sent back at the young man seemed to speak volumes. Ichigo grimaced, turning towards another door himself before pausing. "Oh, will we be able to find the way out now?"

"It has been idiot-proofed, yes."

The orange-haired Espada opened his mouth to retort, but an insistent push from his two fracción had him stumbling out of sight with a startled curse.

The doors sealed immediately afterwards as he snapped the fingers on one hand, and another hidden opening slid open. Szayelaporro stepped in, surveying the surgical tools he had left only minutes ago.

Picking up a scalpel gently, he approached the center of the room where a cloth-bound, nearly mummified figure was resting. Traces of crimson still lingered on the wrappings, but he was pleased to see the incisions from earlier had fully healed in the short time he had been away.

"How wonderful it must be, to be meant for only one true calling, my dear subject. I am cursed with… _purpose_ , you see. I have many pursuits, and all call for my attention," he crooned, sliding an adoring hand down one bandage-covered shoulder. The figure did not react.

"In yours, I must ensure that you are unmatched in your destined field. So, Wonderweiss…shall we continue?"

O--O--O

Any Hollow now in Las Noches could vouch for the rise in power that came with becoming an Arrancar, and many other benefits. The reclamation of full sanity, the reduction of their animalistic instincts, and the comforts of once again having a human body. What they hadn't realized was that they would also have to worry about human discomforts as well.

Such as standing still for hours on end.

For what felt like the thousandth time today, Loly Aivirrne shifted her weight, wincing at the sensation of blood rushing back into the soles of her feet after so long. Menoly Mallia, the other of Sousuke Aizen's aides, looked over sympathetically from her place at the other side of the archway they stood at.

Standing guard for the current lord of Hueco Mundo might seem like the most useless position available to most. If it were for anyone else, Loly might agree. But she was devoted unlike any other to her master, and had leapt at the opportunity to be of use to him in any way possible. In every way possible.

 _G_ _od, my feet are fucking killing me._

The Arrancar brushed one of her sleek black twintails back off of her shoulder, allowing herself a moment to relax and stretch. She gasped in pained relief as a tendon in her knee popped, Menoly smiling as she did the same.

They may be devoted to their task, but being human again came with it's share of upkeep.

The two teenage Arrancar shared more than just their duties; their mask fragments were mirrored, each with an identical ring of skeletal structure over one of their eyes, Loly over her left, while Menoly's covered the right. Otherwise, each of them appeared fairly different, Loly with her styled wear, skirt, and long black hair, Menoly with her short, spiked blonde cut and pants. The similarities had some questioning whether they were sisters or not, but they had never confirmed nor denied anything to anyone.

They both finished their stretching, assuming their posts at the door once again – and just in time, as three silhouettes turned the corner and began the ascent up the staircase they stood at.

With a chill, she recognized the leading figure as the recently appointed Fifth Espada, the two nearly identical female Arrancar following him unknown to her. The orange-haired man came to the landing at the top, glancing at them curiously. Loly chanced a look towards Menoly, recognizing the barely hidden fear in her companion, and cursed internally. She steeled herself, assuming a stance with her hands drawn behind her back and slipping the hilt of her zanpakuto into reach.

"H-how can we help you, sir?" she asked as calmly as she could. He blinked at her, yellow eyes scanning over her tense frame for a moment, and her fingers twitched.

"I was looking for Aizen, I figured he would be around here."

 _Huh? Oh._

She felt her cheeks heat up at the obvious nature of the statement. "Um…right. Just a second." Loly sent a meaningful look towards her blonde companion, who started out of her stupor and quickly ducked into the room behind.

Left alone to guard the entryway, she couldn't help but furtively look over the other three; the two women she scanned over quickly, still rather surprised to see how identical they were in appearance, but she inspected the taller man by far the most.

She had never seen the one nicknamed the 'demon' up close, but she had to admit he wasn't exactly…as expected. From the rumors and the distant vantage point she'd had at Lord Aizen's last address to them, she had expected something far more outlandish than what stood before her now, hands in pockets as he idly let his gaze wander the upper reaches of the corridor.

Her eyes unintentionally lingered over his exposed biceps.

 _He's not exactly hard to look at, is he?_

A sudden clattering from behind had her starting violently as Menoly reappeared, looking confused. "Lord Aizen isn't here!"

The words took a moment to sink in.

"What?!" she shrieked, whirling and shoving past the door, looking around the seemingly empty room they had been standing outside for hours. Her face heated up again in embarrassment, and she felt her temper flare along with it. She turned – and squeaked in surprise as the Espada leaned over, somehow right next to her without making a sound. The man frowned as he confirmed the verdict for himself, stepping back and scratching the back of his head. "Damn. Any idea where he'd be then?"

Perhaps due to the casual attitude he continued to show, Menoly seemed to muster her courage enough to speak. "We thought he was in here, sir. M-maybe one of the other Shinigami might know?"

She stiffened as he looked at her thoughtfully, relaxing after a moment when he nodded. "Worth a try. Thanks, uh...?"

He raised one orange eyebrow at them in question, and Loly recovered herself enough to stammer out her own name, followed by her partner. The Arrancar smiled, thanked the both of them, and jogged back down the stairs, the other two women following without so much as a sound.

As they turned out of sight, Loly sagged against the doorway as the tension left her body. Menoly did the same, shaking her head wearily. "That wasn't at all what I expected," she breathed. "He's way nicer than the rumors."

"Yeah, he's...weird."

Menoly glanced at her, the one visible green eye glinting in sudden humor. "Can't hide it from me, you were getting an eyeful when I came back."

For the third time today, she distinctly felt her cheeks redden.

"I-I wasn't looking at anything!" she protested, though clearly not convincingly enough from the grin her blonde friend was growing. Loly growled stubbornly. "Come on, we've got to find Lord Aizen!"

O--O--O

Baraggan Louisenbairn's one remaining eye narrowed slowly, surveying the battle laid out before him with diamond-sharp intensity.

His aged visage had overseen many a war in his time as the king of Hueco Mundo; and according to rumor, even in his mortal life. The ancient Arrancar had pitted himself against Soul Reapers, other Hollows, and a multitude of other spiritual oddities in his time. But he had long since had a worthy opponent to face, either as a commander or as a combatant himself; with, of course, the one exception.

His countenance darkened at the thought, the old anger rearing its head. He forced it back down as always, reminding himself of at least one silver lining of this 'alliance'.

Baraggan's frown deepened as one of his forward units was eliminated. He raised one hand ponderously to strike back…

…and moved one of his ornate white rooks to tip over the offending black knight.

"Ah," Kaname Tousen murmured in slight surprise, "You have been building up to that, I see."

The Arrancar let out a noncommittal 'hmph', setting the ceramic piece he had taken on the side of the chess board to join its comrades.

With the continued wait for the war to begin, the Second Espada had been growing restless. In the past, when he was still the ruler of this dimension, this was the time he would have considered simply causing some sort of conflict out of sheer boredom. But, by some miracle, he had discovered a shared passion for tactics and strategy with the ex-captain of the Seireitei. One talk led to another, and he'd had one of his men search out the full chess set they had been using for weeks.

 _Without such a distraction, I may have been inclined to strike the first blow myself…_

His eyes went back to the game as the dark-skinned Soul Reaper slid one of his black pawns up, threatening Baraggan's frontal formation. However, the move left his own backline open to a looming white castle. A flaw?

 _A ploy. I move the castle, and that in turn will lose me the queen, and possibly more. How clever._

He was considering his next play when a light knock came at the door. Tousen turned his dreadlocked head towards it as Findorr entered, an unusually amused half-smile on the visible lower half of his face as he bowed. "Your Majesty, I apologize for the interruption."

"Out with it."

"A guest has arrived for General Tousen."

He cocked one bushy eyebrow as the blond Arrancar stepped back outside, making way for a tall, lean, and orange-haired silhouette. The figure stepped in, eyes widening upon seeing him. "Oh, gramps. What are you doing here?"

Baraggan repressed the majority of his irritation. "Hmph. Even now, you have no respect for your elders, boy."

Ichigo – for the old Arrancar knew not to think of him by the old name – blinked innocently enough to make him realize the young man wasn't simply acting, letting a heavy sigh part his mustache. "What is it, then?"

"I was trying to find Aizen, and he wasn't where his, uh…"

"Aides, master." a soft voice offered from behind him, and Baraggan inspected the two matching women that had followed the young man in for a moment.

"Right, those," Ichigo continued, "They didn't know where he went, thought you might know." He finished the sentence by facing Tousen, looking at least moderately respectful.

The Soul Reaper frowned slightly. "I am not aware of any specific plans Lord Aizen had today, my apologies. May I ask what you were seeking?"

The Fifth Espada folded his arms, brow raising as he examined the game they were both seated at. "I was hoping for an update on the plan, wasn't sure how long we were waiting for."

Tousen leaned back in his seat. "Our orders are much the same as before, I am sorry to say. Although," the Shinigami said thoughtfully, "if I had to guess…"

"We will be deployed within the next week," Baraggan stated.

Tousen smiled and nodded at the Arrancar's gruff words. Noticing Ichigo's curious look, the man plucked a single pawn from his pile of taken pieces, rolling it dexterously between two thick fingers. "With every squad recalled to the Soul Society, attacking their main base would be a fool's errand. We have been waiting until they have relaxed their guard or they venture out once more. That is, of course, if the intention is to lower their fighting strength. They have been holed up for long enough and should be moving soon."

The last sentence was directed towards his chess opponent, who once again nodded silently.

Ichigo seemed to understand the concept well enough, but his smooth features creased into a frown. "But we're after this Soul King guy, right? Is he in the Seireitei?"

"No, he resides in a separate dimension far above the city itself," Tousen replied, once again examining the chess board.

"So how do we get up there?"

Baraggan hid any amusement at seeing the young Arrancar arrive at the heart of the matter so quickly, watching the Soul Reaper closely. He had been wondering the same for quite some time, and was no closer to finding an answer even after so many years.

To his irritation, the dark-skinned man shook his head slowly. "That is something you would need to ask Lord Aizen about personally."

Ichigo only looked disappointed for a moment before letting out a slow breath, nodding. He excused himself soon after, the two female Arrancar flanking him bowing respectfully and following. Baraggan's eye tracked the group until they turned out of sight, Findorr bowing as well and closing the door once again.

The two went back to their game silently, the soft clack of the stone pieces the only sound for a minute.

"He has keen instincts," Tousen finally murmured, surveying the board as the old Arrancar moved a piece. "And always seems to be in the right place at the right time. It's quite interesting to observe."

"The boy, you mean."

The Shinigami hummed in agreement. "It does make me wonder where will he find himself at the end of this, after all is said and done."

Baraggan squinted. There was an undercurrent of something in the words that he couldn't place, a sort of energy that was quite out of place from what he knew of the man.

 _He knows more than he lets on._

Pressing for details would be pointless, he knew the three Shinigami in Hueco Mundo kept their secrets close to the chest at all times. He eventually released a long breath, gaze drifting back to the board as he realized it was his turn.

 _Patience. The time will come to dispose of the ants infesting my world._

He reached out, lifting a piece and setting it back down with the sharp crack of stone.

"Check."

O--O--O

 **\--The Seireitei, five days later--**

"Heeeeeey, Rukia~!"

Rukia stopped at the cheerful call, turning from her path to see the lieutenant of Squad Ten leaning precariously out of a nearby window, waving at her with a cup in hand.

"Matsumoto," she replied, smiling as she approached. The smell of alcohol wafted from the window that the woman was hanging out of, and she could hear both raucous shouting and…

She cocked her head at the horrid noise she could hear. It had a beat.

 _Is…is that music?_

She was quite literally yanked out of the thought as the blond woman lurched out and looped one arm around her neck, dragging her closer with a yelp.

"Coooome ooooon," she yelled, far too loud than was necessary, "you're always so formaaaaaal! It drives me _crazy!_ " The last word was punctuated by her slamming her cup down on the windowsill, her beautiful features the picture of offended fury for a brief moment before they sagged back into drunken happiness. "Just call me Rangiku, okaaay?"

Rukia tried to speak, but she was finding it difficult to breathe; the lieutenant had a surprisingly strong arm keeping her face squished into the side of one prodigious breast.

"Mmmmph," she managed to offer.

"Good!"

She was then unceremoniously dragged through the window and plopped onto a large cushion, gasping. She raised her head after several large gulps of air, blinking owlishly at the chaos she found herself in.

Every lieutenant from the Court Guard Squads was shoved into a small tatami-floored room – laughing, talking, eating, and of course drinking. With, she saw, the understandable exception of Squad Eleven's Yachiru.

Sasakibe from the First Division was smiling and sipping at his own cup next to Kira from the Third and Akon from the Twelfth, the latter wincing slightly and rubbing his horned head at the racket coming from the corner next to them. Omaeda, Iba, Renji, and Hisagi were all shouting encouragingly at Ikkaku from the Eleventh, who seemed to be busy chugging from a massive ceramic jug with gusto – she hoped for the safety of the mans liver it wasn't sake. Next to them was a large 80's-style boombox from which the loud music was coming from, though she couldn't even place exactly what genre it was supposed to be. Punk, metal…jazz?

On the closer side of the room, Nanao from the Eighth sat quietly alongside Isane from the Fourth and Hinamori of the Fifth. Her heart fell slightly at seeing the dark bags still under the tiny womans eyes, even as Momo giggled at something Isane said while glancing over at the men.

 _She does appear to be recovering, at least…_

She jumped at another shout, the rest of the lieutenants having noticed her. Ikkaku, worryingly red-faced at this point and with Iba barely holding him up by one shoulder, gestured wildly in her direction with his drinking hand. "Hey, you made it! That makes every lieutenant in the Seireitei! Except Yachiru. I will drink her share. For when she's not a brat, you see." He hiccupped loudly in the middle of his words, to resounding amusement. "BUT," the man roared determinedly, "What say we make a toast to Kuchiki here! For making it home in one piece, Aizen or these jumped-up Hollows be _damned!_ "

The other men of the group, all properly smashed at this point, howled and raised their drinks towards her in salute even as Rangiku leaned over, surreptitiously slipping another ceramic cup into her hand. Head spinning from the noise, she simply nodded along, receiving a polite toast from the rest. Renji paused in his seat, face almost as red as his hair but still apparently sober enough to hesitate for a moment, meeting her eyes without a word. His expression tightened, and she could see that he was struggling to say something; Renji had never been the subtle type, she could read him as easily as a book even now. She stopped him with the barest shake of her head, but smiled slightly. Her old friend hesitated but still made out a single nod, receiving her message clearly enough even in his state.

 _Later._

She started again as Rangiku plopped down on a cushion next to her, cheering along with the last of the rowdier group before tossing back her own cup. They watched in amazement as Ikkaku swerved abruptly and tripped, landing atop several others as they all roared with laughter.

"Sooo, what do you think?" Rangiku asked, slurring rather badly at this point as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"It's impressive," Rukia admitted, grinning as the Eleventh lieutenant was launched out of another window by a drunk Kira, who he'd fallen on. "Did you arrange all this?"

The curvaceous woman hummed happily, leaning back. "I figured it'd be a nice change of pace, what with the nonstop training and all that. Besides, everything starts tomorrow, right?"

On receiving Rukia's report, the Captain-Commander had not discounted anything she had urged him to consider; if anything, his response had been above what anyone had expected. The deployment orders had finally come after the captains meeting a week ago, announcing that the defensive measures would be halted, and the troops of the Soul Society would be divided into groups, two squads each for a total of five platoons, captains included. The first, comprised of the Fourth and Fifth squads, would be held back in the Seireitei for medical attention and emergency reinforcements. The rest were to be deployed in swift order, taking the Senkaimon and performing random large-scale sweeps across the mortal world.

She vividly remembered the aged Shinigami's words upon seeing her surprise at the idea: _"You have estimated the enemy to be strong, yes. But I will always prepare for the absolute worst, Lieutenant."_

Rukia admitted that caution was certainly warranted – the only idea she truly had of the powers looming in Hueco Mundo was from seeing a meager three Arrancar in person. None of which had been openly hostile in the first place.

She sighed at the memory, realizing that the other lieutenant was tapping her cup and glowering. Awkwardly, she took a tiny sip…

Rukia blinked, looking to Rangiku in confusion. "This is tea."

The blond woman jiggled her head as if to say 'well duh', long locks of hair swaying with the movement.

"And I thought you were drunk."

Another jiggle, along with a distinctly sly grin. She then tilted her head around the room, Rukia following the gesture.

The men across the room had all grouped back together, laughing and telling outrageous stories; even the reserved Sasakibe was joining in at this point, though he wasn't drinking nearly as much as the rest. On their side, the female lieutenants had huddled closer, Momo and Isane blushing furiously and giggling as Nanao spoke softly, a worryingly devious smirk quite out of place on the woman, and the faint hints of what was being discussed had her ears warming.

Seeing all this, she turned back to Rangiku, who sported a startlingly calm smile compared to just a few moments before. She caught the appraising look and winked, offering a bottle of what was clearly sake this time. Rukia sighed, drained the rest of the tea, and allowed it to filled back up with the heady-smelling alcohol. Taking a sip and fighting back a grimace at the strong taste, she motioned to the group. "Shall we?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Rangiku replied cheerily.

The war could wait for one last night of merriment, she thought, before the story they had joined in on swept the darker thoughts away in a tidal wave of embarrassment and curiosity that only secret talks between women could truly achieve.

 _After all, this may be the last night we have._

O--O--O

 **\--Hueco Mundo, Las Noches--**

A sudden light flared in absolute darkness, radiating from a high ceiling and slowly growing brighter, illuminating the sole contents of the room: a long, black-topped table, smooth and rounded at the corners, lined by eleven identical and inordinately high-backed chairs in white. Shortly after the double doors at one end creaked open, admitting a tall, messy-haired silhouette.

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez stalked in, casting a quick look around and snorting softly when he realized he was the first to arrive. He eyed the arranged seating for a long moment before nudging a chair nearer to the head of the table out with one toe, falling into it roughly with his hands still shoved into his pockets.

The Arrancar spent the first few minutes idly staring up at the ceiling before his scowl deepened in irritation. He hated waiting.

 _And ain't that just the fucking problem._

All he had been doing for an unimaginable amount of time had been waiting. Waiting to evolve in the wastes for all those years; after that, waiting for purpose and power promised from Aizen. And even then, once he had finally grasped his true strength, more goddamned waiting. Soon, he was promised. Soon it would all begin.

He hoped, that with Aizen calling all the Espada together, the wait this time would be a hell of a lot shorter.

At a soft creak his gaze darted to the entrance, seeing the doors part once more, and a lone figure stepped in. Grimmjow's eyes narrowed.

 _Kurosaki._

The Fifth Espada glanced around, spotting him a moment later, returning the aggressive look with a cocked eyebrow before he chose a seat at the opposite end of the table. They sat in silence for several minutes, Kurosaki shifting slightly and crossing his exposed arms, eyes closing in apparent calm.

"What's your deal, Kurosaki?"

Those bright yellow orbs snapped open at the annoyed tone, leveling in his direction. "What?"

Grimmjow kept his expression neutral. "You heard me. What's the deal with you now?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

He snorted, shifting his attention to the piece of bone resting atop the Arrancar's bright orange shock of hair. "What happened to the Vasto Lorde that I saw tearing an Arrancar to pieces with nothing but his claws? From what I hear, you got all pathetic after losing the mask."

Grimmjow felt a wave of satisfaction at seeing anger sweep across the other Espada's face, though it faded just as quickly as it had arrived.

"I was different back then," he replied stiffly.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Grimmjow sneered, his sarcastic tone visibly setting the other on edge, "Humanity turned you back into a _bitch_ , is that it?"

Kurosaki froze in his seat, and his own pulse rose upon seeing the man's irises shine ominously.

"The last time someone talked to me like that," he said, voice dripping with venom, "I put a _cero_ through their skull."

Grimmjow blinked in shock before a savage, toothy smile formed, a burst of laughter ripping its way out of his throat. "There it is," he grinned at the surprised look Kurosaki was giving him. "So you haven't lost your touch."

The orange-haired Arrancar's eyes dimmed, looking confused as he sat back. "What do you care?"

"I don't," Grimmjow drawled, kicking his feet up on the table. "Just making sure that you haven't gone soft."

"…Why?"

Kurosaki had visibly calmed, and was regarding him with some amount of curiosity. Grimmjow grunted, a little annoyed at the scrutiny. "Got bored, that's all."

They spent another few minutes in silence.

"Hey."

Grimmjow glanced over.

"If you're that bored, Harribel and I are still sparring outside the city."

"What, you think I wanna watch you two buddy it up?"

"I was thinking you could join in, actually."

"…Hah?"

Before he could say more the doors parted once again, the rest of the Espada filing in over the course of the next ten minutes. The unusual sight of Aaroniero was tempered somewhat by the addition of an elongated white mask covering the front of the tank the two heads resided in as he sat with overly delicate motions. Barragan was next, grouchily seizing one of the farthest chairs without a word, mustache bristling in annoyance. Ulquiorra came after, gliding in soundlessly and taking the seat directly across from Grimmjow. Surprisingly, Starrk slouched in before the rest, openly yawning and looking around the room blearily; he chose a spot next to Kurosaki, immediately closing his eyes and attempting to doze off within moments. The other side of the Fifth was also taken by his aforementioned training partner, the dark-skinned woman inclining her head in response to a casual 'hey' he greeted her with. Szayelaporro strolled in carelessly next, followed closely by Nelliel.

Grimmjow eyed the Seventh Espada with a touch of caution as she took the chair to his right; the elegant woman was one of the old guard, and even with her power reduced was still widely acknowledged as one of the finest fighters in Hueco Mundo. Anyone who could take a hit like she had and remain an Espada deserved respect. She noticed his scrutiny after a moment, raising one brow coolly in an unspoken question.

He hadn't realized he'd been staring.

Grimmjow finally gave her a terse nod in response that she returned politely, a small spark of surprise in her emerald eyes as she turned away.

The last to enter was Yammy, the huge Hollow stomping to the last open chair next to the Ninth Espada at the end of the table; the seat barely seemed to contain his bulk. Grimmjow felt the table shudder as he leaned one massive arm on it and proceeded to glare daggers at Kurosaki for some reason; to his amusement, the smaller Arrancar's expression turned darker than before, lip curling upwards into a distinct snarl.

 _Wonder what Yammy did to piss him off…_

His sharp ears picked up different sound, and Grimmjow quickly took his feet off of the table just as another door at the opposite end if the room from the first slid open. All present stilled from the unmistakable sensation of power they felt.

Aizen stepped in, the same small smile as always on his features, and flanked by the other two ex-captains. All three were dressed much like the Arrancar, in flowing white cloth lined in black.

"My dear Espada," their leader said softly, voice as warm and smooth as silk. "Good morning."

He settled himself in the seat at the head of the table, slowly meeting each Arrancar's eyes in turn. They all waited patiently as several lower-ranking Arrancar hurried around the table, distributing cups of some steaming hot beverage, which Grimmjow studiously ignored. Once everyone was served, Aizen sat slightly straighter in his seat and began. "I am pleased to say that our plan has come to a head after so many years, and will finally begin tomorrow."

Many shifted in a mixture of surprise and anticipation.

"As many of you have surmised, and indeed hoped," Aizen continued, "the initial steps will be to strike at the head of the Seireitei, and at the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

A shiver went through those assembled; they were all inherently opposed to the Soul Reapers, down to the last drop of blood, and the chance to finally take their due was intoxicating to most. Grimmjow felt his blood begin to heat, another feral grin creeping across his lips.

Their leader watched the varying reactions around the table calmly before proceeding any further. "Once the forces of the Shinigami are reduced enough, or simply eradicated, our true objective will become possible. That is, the creation of the King's Key. Or, as it is known in more classical circles, the Oken."

Many present looked curious or confused at this; only the Second Espada's lone eye widened ever so slightly, and one grizzled hand came up to cup his chin in thought.

"This key, once created, will open the passage to the palace of the Soul King, who resides in a sealed dimension far above the Seireitei itself," Aizen explained calmly, "Once there, I will take the throne from him and reshape this world. That, above all else, is our primary objective."

 _He makes it all sound so simple_ , Grimmjow thought, trying to reconcile the insane concept that had been presented with how straightforward the Soul Reaper made it seem.

"Excuse me, sir."

They all looked to Nelliel, who had straightened respectfully in her seat. Aizen gestured for her to proceed.

"You say we must reduce the fighting strength of the Seireitei first. That implies that whatever the method is to create this 'Oken', they will attempt to stop us at any cost," she reasoned. The Shinigami's cold smile widened the tiniest fraction.

"Very good, Nelliel. That is correct." Aizen leaned back in his seat. "The mere idea of anyone but the Royal Guard possessing the key is abhorrent enough for them to combat us in the first place, you see. The creation and the inherent cost, however, is another matter entirely."

He made a small motion to Tousen, who pulled on a lever set into the wall gently. With a heavy thud, a perfectly round circle in the middle of the table recessed, spinning outwards like the aperture of a camera and a glowing, hovering image of a sweeping expanse of suburbia was revealed above them.

Gazing up at it, Aizen rested the side of his head on the crooked fingers of one hand as he spoke. "The materials required for the creation of the Oken are as such: a plot of land that is heavily saturated with spiritual power unlike any other, and with a radius of one ri…and at least one hundred thousand human souls."

Most in the room hadn't batted an eye at the information, but Grimmjow spotted the Fifth Espada's fists clenching.

"There only one possible area for this event in each era," the Soul Reaper explained. "The current location is settled in Eastern Asia, and will remain so for at least several hundred years." His cold eyes drifted to Kurosaki as the image above descended.

The map became clearer to the eye, roads and a thin ribbon of blue cutting through the bustle of civilization becoming visible.

The orange-haired Arrancar's expression froze, locking away his emotions behind a careful mask.

Those yellow eyes, however, showed horrified recognition.


	17. Chapter 17

Editing/QC: Trolzylulzy

 _Phew. I've had a busy couple months. Crazy period at work, packing and moving through the entire month of July, and a solid three week period of writer's block._

 _Wasn't_ _very happy with that last one, but here we are._

 _Anyways, review time. Only one thing I can really comment on here; it was from a guest asking why this is rated 'M'. Which, I will admit, is a good question. When I started this I honestly hadn't spent much time on the site yet, and just got the general idea for the ratings from things I'd read, so I mainly just set it to M to be safe. While I don't plan to make this incredibly risqué, or indeed write anything resembling true smut, certain things in the future may tread the line. I'll change it if I need to, just covering my own ass._

 _That's it for now, I'm happy to see people enjoying this so much despite my terrible release...well, I was going to say 'schedule', but it's not nearly consistent enough for that, is it?_

 _Thanks for stopping by_.

 **Chapter** **17:**

A startlingly bright azure sky greeted the first platoon of Soul Reapers as they exited the Senkaimon. Warm winds and a charmingly serene stretch of low, rolling hills covered in a thick canopy of treetops were all that the initial scouts reported.

The Lieutenant of the Thirteenth squad was not reassured by this.

The first few hours, Rukia had to force herself to relax; her shoulders were knotted with tension, and she knew that if it came to a battle she would need to be at her most prepared. Thus, she wasn't really sure if being subjected to Captain Kyoraku's particular method of stress relief was a boon or not.

"-And then," the grizzled man chortled, on his umpteenth outrageous story so far, "I was hurled out of the royal chambers, still wrapped up in that ladies' kimono!" At this he nodded sagely, one hand tugging at the flowery ensemble that was always draped over his captains Haori. "In memory of that night, I've worn these ever since."

Nanao touched down nearby, shaking her head wearily at the man she pushed off in yet another long leap. Captain Ukitake stifled a chuckle as he ran next to her, long white hair streaming back in the wind.

Rukia glanced back at the rest of the force trailing along, small, tight knit groups spread out to prevent any type of ambush from taking too large a toll. She would have joined her own squad mates as well, but due to the fact that she was the only one to encounter any of the Arrancar for more than a brief, terrifying instant, the two captains had urged her to join them at the head of the pack. So far they hadn't encountered even the slightest sign of anything out of place, but their assurances that it was all according to plan still rankled her.

 _"We are both the bait and the trap,"_ Ukitake had murmured, his kind features darkening, _"The commander knows what he is doing."_

This statement had followed the surprising declaration that the Third and Fifth squads, both without captains, would be held back as extra reinforcements in the Seireitei. Rukia had initially protested, on the grounds that they would need every able-bodied man and woman in the expected conflicts. And yet, one less platoon had deployed into the world of the living. Ukitake and Kyoraku hid their knowledge of Commander Yamamoto's intentions as well as any could, but she had learned to read into her captain's silence over the years. Something more was afoot.

A sudden chill had her visibly shuddering.

Captain Ukitake skid to a halt, looking at her in concern until he felt it. "Kyoraku!" he snapped, sword clearing its sheath on his hip the next instant, eyes turning upwards. They and the trailing forces skid to a halt in midair.

With a horrible rending sound, the brilliant blue sky above them shattered.

O--O--O

"-ster. Master Ichigo?"

Ichigo blinked, coming out of his thoughts slowly. He turned to see Yin looking at him, cobalt eyes wary.

"It's time, master. We have to go."

"…Yeah."

He rose out of his crouch, noticing Harribel and her trio of fracción waiting in front of a wide garganta. Without a word he jumped in, ignoring the looks they were sending his way.

He felt…calm. More than he had ever thought possible.

 _I should be angry. I should be furious._

But a colder part of him saw the logic in Aizen's plan. The man had told him that saving the world would have a cost, would require sacrifice. Memories not his own flashed through his mind; hundreds, thousands of lives that had been given for the greater good over a thousand lifetimes. Blood shed for a higher purpose. Each one given to achieve something more, something right.

He was by no means the first to have to do something like this, he knew that. It didn't make it any easier to accept. So as they ran through the abyss he methodically locked each painful thought away, each agonizing realization and fiber of his being that denied what needed to be achieved.

When it was done, all that remained was deep, disturbing stillness. The invisible coal hovering in his empty chest was the only part of him that felt warm anymore.

The blackness ahead of their group crumpled, tearing open to reveal an overcast and turbulent gray expanse of clouds. The squads and groups of Shinigami could be seen far below over a widespread town, clearly moving in response to their arrival.

He looked to Harribel, who nodded once. Four more portals opened around them, dozens of Hollows led by lower-ranking Arrancar rushing out. To the sides gigantic pale fingers ruptured the sky, tugging aside reality as the massive silhouettes of Menos Grande emerged. Ichigo felt the first drops of rain fall as Harribel drew her blade, the rasp of steel setting him on edge. With a single word, she set everything in motion: "Go."

With unearthly howls their forces hurtled down, Harribel and her party darting ahead at the front. He leapt after, seeing two figures in black-and-white attire rising to meet them.

A grim sort of satisfaction rose, thawing the dreadful cold he felt the tiniest fraction. This, at least, felt right.

O--O--O

"READY YOURSELVES," Captain Komamura roared an instant before the wave of Hollows struck, booming voice echoing from inside his helmet.

Shuuhei Hisagi grimaced as the closest groups of Soul Reapers faltered under the onslaught, caving as some of the partially-masked Arrancar joined the fray.

In a blur, a maniacally laughing Hollow with bright aquamarine hair shot towards the Captain, who sent the figure tumbling away with a shout of ' _Shakkaho_ ' and an explosion of crimson energy. Five more Arrancar appeared around them immediately afterwards, Hisagi catching one barehanded strike with the swift unsheathing of his blade, flipping out of the way of the rest and using several Shunpo to gain distance. The first he saw was being occupied by Komamura, the other group all rushing his way.

 _No choice then, not with this many._

"Reap, Kazeshini!"

The initial burst of green spiritual pressure knocked away the closest Hollows, one with bandages fluttering off of his mask remains swearing violently as one sickle of the Shikai whirled by, gashing his pale neck. With a click of his tongue, Hisagi whipped the other over his head in an offset pattern, nearly catching another two closing in as the spiraling blades shot through the air faster than they could predict. A tug on the chain in his right hand retrieved the first blade, which he sent in an opposite and interlocking pattern, the two crisscrossing lines somehow not entangling themselves as they wove a protective net of shimmering steel around where he stood. The five Arrancar settled in a loose circle just out of range, watching closely for an opening.

Mistake.

Muscles straining, Hisagi pulled as hard as he could, abruptly sending both sickles spinning directly in line with each Hollow before they could react. With a sound like some sort of hellish saw, the leftmost blade went straight through one of the larger men, nearly cutting his thick torso in two in a gruesome spray of blood. Before the rest could scatter he used another Shunpo, appearing in the path of the right pinwheel. With an agile twist, he caught the pole of the weapon just in front of another Hollow and spun.

He landed on a nearby rooftop an instant later, the severed head falling past as he caught the first sickle easily, turning to calmly meet the incredulous stares of the remaining Arrancar above.

"Three to go."

O--O--O

Soifon watched the rush of Hollows impact their forces like a tidal wave. The initial battle lines held strong, the Eleventh Division soldiers adapting to the more organized tactics they had been drilled on admirably, turning their frontlines into a killing field. Pairs of her own men and women darted in at the flanks, picking off larger targets with flashes of steel and vanishing whenever the horde turned their way. Unfortunately, it was far from perfect. She watched as several men ventured out slightly too far; within moments each was caught, shredded in a whirlwind of teeth and bloodied claws, agonized screams ringing out.

She didn't so much as blink.

Some may have called her cold, callous, and in fact a scant few before had. But she knew those men and women taking the brunt of the assault were doing their duty. Squad Eleven was meant for these sorts of conflicts, no matter how grisly.

Her gray eyes narrowed at seeing another crack in the atmosphere to the right of the battle, a massive white foot stomping out and causing the air to shake.

"Omaeda!" she barked. "Take a squad and deal with that Menos."

The corpulent man blinked his little piggy eyes at her fearfully. "Er…don't you think we should back up Captain Zaraki?"

A glance to the side still showed the Eleventh Captain clashing with a massive dark-skinned Arrancar nearly a mile off. She could just barely hear the man laughing.

"That's the last thing we need to worry about. Get moving."

"R-right!"

Her lieutenant darted off with a speed that seemed out of place for all his bulk, followed closely by a group of her best. Her vision blurred momentarily as she blinked upwards with Shunpo several hundred feet, taking a moment to survey their progress. Madarame was still holding off a large pack of Hollows in between Zaraki and the rest with agile leaps and bounds, his own cackling also audible to her keen ears. The first Menos that had stepped out was being dealt with. Her stealth forces and Zaraki's Eleventh were working together with pleasing efficiency, chipping away at the onslaught of weaker Hollows as fast as the creatures were rushing out of their portals.

 _Say what you will of Zaraki and his ilk, they know their way around a battlefield._

"Now then," Soifon said aloud, turning slowly to face the white-clothed figure that had appeared nearby. "Should I give you my thanks before we start?"

The deathly pale Arrancar remained silent, the slightest raising of one thick brow the only indication he had even heard her. His dark green eyes regarded her with something she couldn't quite place. Disinterest? Apathy?

"No thanks are necessary," he finally replied, smooth voice cultured but just as devoid of emotion as his expression. "Whether you give your orders or not makes no difference."

She would have thought the man cocky, if it weren't for the clear lack of any sort of emotion in the words.

"I assume you know who I am, then."

"Captain of the Second Division, Soifon."

"Well informed. Sadly, I know nothing about you."

If the Arrancar took offense at her mocking tone, he didn't show it. "Ulquiorra Cifer. Espada _Cuatro_."

 _Espada?_

Ignoring the ominous tone of the title, she tilted her head curiously, the two golden rings at the ends of her braids tapping softly against the cloth of her robes. "And what is your purpose here?"

At this the man finally shifted, slim hands leaving his pockets. "To eliminate you."

"A pity," she mused, slipping one hand back towards the hilt of her zanpakuto on her hip. "I can think of several reasons why you won't get the chance."

Soifon whipped her blade out just in time to catch his bare hand several inches away from her throat. Her eyebrows furrowed at seeing his pale skin entirely unscathed against the sharp steel.

 _The younger Kuchiki was right._

Cursing inwardly, she flipped herself backwards in a blinding movement, one foot smacking solidly against the helmet-like bone on his head with a _thwack_ , twirling into another kick the opposite direction in the same motion. The man twitched his head out of the way, unfazed, flat-palmed hand once again darting her way like a knife.

They traded blows like this for several minutes, and she was both surprised and pleased that neither of their attacks had yet to draw blood. A quick glance to the ongoing battle below served to remind her of the urgency of the situation. "Sting all enemies to death," she murmured.

The Arrancar heard the words, flashing above and pointing one thin finger; a tiny orb of vivid green energy formed at its tip. Soifon went to dodge, only just realizing that if she did the technique would blast straight into her forces below.

 _Clever bastard._

 _"Suzumebachi!"_ she shouted, already sweeping her zanpakuto up.

An instant later Soifon flew out of the lingering blast, the arm carrying her Shikai smoking slightly from countering the force of the cero. She gingerly flexed her wrist underneath the gauntlet.

 _That's some power for only having charged it for a second or two…_

The Hollow appeared ahead, swinging for her neck.

With grit teeth, she blurred into several simultaneous Shunpo, knowing he would still strike at her afterimage, and whipped out her Shikai as she passed.

Soifon had the great pleasure as she landed of seeing the Arrancar's cold eyes widen for the first time as the black butterfly of Nigeki Kessatsu appeared on the white fabric of his sleeve, the barest trace of red showing on the cloth below. He inspected the mark for another moment before calmly drawing his own sword. She withheld an annoyed scoff.

 _About damn time he started taking me seriously._

O--O--O

"Damn."

A torrent of green energy seared past, wiping away her muttered curse with the noise. Nelliel flipped away once the bulk had passed, lunging toward the Shinigami in the instant he seemed open – only to see the tip of the sword in his hand light up once more as he slashed in her direction. Another bright flash, the blast firing in an impossibly wide cone. Nel split the oncoming torrent with a vertical slash of her own, letting out a long breath as it parted around her.

For all of her decades of experience, Nelliel had never before had the opportunity to fight a captain of the Seireitei. From what she could tell of 'Generals' Ichimaru and Tousen, she estimated they should be more or less on par with the upper echelons of the Espada; as such, she had engaged the white-haired captain with all due caution. The obvious irony that the man's zanpakuto essentially took the core concept of her trademark 'Cero Doble' and enhanced it had not escaped her.

 _I must admit…the trick is much less amusing when on the receiving end._

She blew a distressingly singed hair out of her face, feeling a slow throb in her temple at seeing the Soul Reaper watching her calmly, white robes entirely unblemished from their battle so far.

"Would you like to try again?" he called politely, his small smile causing her to frown; it wasn't that she took offense at the comment, but the way the levity actually reached his eyes was…interesting. Either the man was being genuine, or he was an exceptional liar.

She wasn't sure which was more likely.

"No, thank you," she replied, using Sonido to appear at his back before the last syllable left her mouth. With a loud clang the man caught her blade with one of his own, the other knifing towards her stomach with an ease that spoke of long familiarity with the motion. She parried, evading the sweeping slashes and darting stabs the captain sent her way. With a deft flick of her wrist, her zanpakuto darted in between each whirling blade and up, scoring a clean cut across the Shinigami's forearm. She danced back to avoid his retaliatory sweep that shaved off several trailing hairs. Taking a moment, the man examined the wound with some surprise before sending a critical eye at her. She simply assumed her stance again, raising one brow.

"It's been some time since anything but my own condition took a toll on my body, and even longer than that with such skill," he said, falling into an easy pose with both interlinked weapons hanging at his sides. "Might I ask your name?"

 _Well, he has been polite so far._

"Nelliel tu Odelschwanck. I am the Seventh Espada."

He nodded genially. "Jushiro Ukitake, captain of Squad Thirteen. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss…" The captain paused, a difficult expression passing over his features. "I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but I'm not sure I can pronounce your last name."

Nel felt her lips twitch up despite herself at the apologetic smile he sent her way.

"None taken. However, I'm not sure this is the time for casual discussion."

He blinked, glancing around. In the far distance the forces of the Seireitei and Hueco Mundo were clashing in a seeming stalemate, no side gaining any apparent advantage. Further away the silhouettes of Starrk and the other captain could be seen darting in at each other sporadically. On the opposite side of them, she could faintly sense Pesche and Dondochakka engaging who she could only assume was the lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division, the familiar sensation of their spiritual energy clearly indicating she was Ichigo's temporary captive from before.

"I suppose not," Ukitake mused, face turning somber.

Nel kept any surprise carefully off of her features. Seeming cheer and charm to offset an opponent in battle was no foreign concept; she knew Pesche after all, and this was not the same.

She sighed lightly, feeling a slight stirring of discontent in her gut. "Unfortunately, with that being said," she continued, raising her guard once more, "it seems that we each have our tasks."

The sorrowful look she received from the captain's green eyes would have been discomforting had she not slipped back into the cool trance of combat. The tips of his twin blades rose, his own expression settling into a similar mask-like stillness. Nel let her reiatsu rise, lifting her zanpakuto swiftly.

She supposed that it would only be polite at this point to match the captain's sword release with her own.

O--O--O

The Soul Reaper managed to get out a strangled sort of scream as the whip of Yin's zanpakuto snapped into place around his neck. With an easy motion she swung the man like the world's most rudimentary flail, smashing him into a cluster of four other Shinigami. Channeling her reiatsu into the weapon, she sent a surge of electricity racing along the pale length of cable, and with a satisfying sound the group detonated.

Yang swiveled smoothly around to her back, her own needle-like zanpakuto having ignited into a solid blade of roiling flame. With several rapid sweeps the red-haired woman sent out raging waves of fire that immolated a dozen more enemy soldiers before they scattered.

An angry roar sounded from above, the spiky-haired Shinigami lieutenant they had been fighting leaping into the air, multi-bladed weapon sweeping for them in his fury.

The sisters grew matching smirks; this wasn't the first time the tattooed man had tried something similar, as evidenced by the burns and charred remains of his uniform still barely clinging to the mans – also elaborately tattooed – torso. They both parted with a single long step away from each other, the man's Shikai soaring through the empty space. More Shinigami appeared in a circle around them as they shifted.

In perfect synchronicity Yin dipped down, Yang jumping above. The blue twin spun her whip around in a balletic movement, sparks crackling off before a larger surge of power pulsed through it, sending bolts of lightning darting into the rain and branching out unpredictably. The few survivors scrambled away; the rest joined the torrential downpour, charred bodies crumbling. At the same moment, the red-haired woman thrust her weapon up towards the descending lieutenant, a massive fireball ballooning out from the existing 'blade'. They heard the man curse filthily as he vanished with the soft noise of a shunpo, the technique detonating a split-second later.

"I don't know, sis," Yang laughed casually, watching the Shinigami landing heavily a short distance away. "I expected more from the 'best' the Seireitei has to offer, didn't you?"

Yin shot a cautioning glance at her younger sibling even as they darted to the side to avoid another group attack. Narrowly avoiding an exploding spell from one woman, Yin retracted her weapon into its needle-like form, exchanging a rapid series of blows with a more nimble Soul Reaper – up until the moment his comrade tried to jump her from behind. She spun her wrist, flipping the grip on her own blade in a parry as she whirled once again, the fingers on her other hand almost daintily coming to rest on the ambushing Shinigami's chest. Her power flared, a faint sizzle was heard, and the man was flung away like a shot from a cannon, trailing blood and steam. The first snarled something rather rude at the sight and lunged forwards only for her to spin past in a blur, a backhanded swing lodging her needle in his skull with the gruesome sound of wood being split.

She removed her blade from the corpse just in time to see Yang also finishing off another group of her own, most of the poor souls trailing smoke like so many meteors as they fell from the sky. The last one to survive only did so for a brief few seconds after Yin turned to look, the sudden reigniting of the crimson-haired woman's weapon extending to several feet past what the man had expected. His body tumbled down to join the rest, the gaping wound across his throat perfectly cauterized.

A glance to the side showed the serious-faced captain still clashing with their own master, lady Harribel and her retinue dealing with another division several miles off. Even from this distance, they could see the Tres Bestias laying waste to the amassed Shinigami with ease.

Yin smiled despite herself, wiping rain off her brow and trading a look with her sister, who was now openly smirking; the rest of the opposing forces nearby were swiftly retreating.

"Well, Lieutenant," said calmly, turning back to the sodden figure of the crimson-haired Soul Reaper staggering to his feet. "It seems you are all that remains."

Without another word the sisters closed in. Her whip snapped past the man's cheek as he leapt up and over, narrowly avoiding a wave of flames as he flipped in midair. He smacked away Yang's fiery stabs as she caught him upon landing, gaining more distance with some amount of effort. Once there his segmented blade hurtled out with the harsh rasp of steel; Yin leapt high this time, Yang darting low under the deadly arc of metal. Knowing his mobility was hindered some by the unwieldy nature of his zanpakuto Yin spun her own whip, gathering power before snapping it out and unleashing two whirling balls of electricity like a bola. Yang vanished from where she was sprinting as a second sweep from the Shinigami cut towards her, reappearing behind and hurling a fireball of her own.

The two projectiles collided with a muffled explosion, the Soul Reaper tumbling out of the smoke with small tongues of flame flickering across his clothes. Yin saw the man subtly glance to her right to where their leaders still battled, grunting as he yet again rose to his feet.

Tenacious, I'll give him that.

She and Yang fell into a comfortable rhythm of darting lunges and synchronized movements, keeping the man constantly off balance. Slowly but surely, they whittled him down until more of his body was covered by his own blood than the tattoos.

Finally, he managed to throw the two away in a surge of desperate strength, laboring for breath – and began to laugh, a pained, deeply amused sound.

"The funny thing about being the last one here," he gasped out, "is that I'm not. My commanding officer is just a bastard like that."

Before they could react to the odd statement the man sucked in a huge breath before bellowing "NOW, CAPTAIN!" and kicking himself backwards.

With a sound like some angry god, a pink tidal wave of what looked like flower petals erupted behind him in a wide arc, carefully avoiding the falling man and bearing down on the women from all sides in an instant.

They heard a roar just before impact, terror freezing them in place as the air billowed violently – but they were untouched. Yin opened her eyes to meet a furious yellow stare, swallowing nervously as she beheld Ichigo shielding them from the attack with his own body, massive sword in one hand chipped and cracked, his form bleeding from a thousand tiny cuts even as the wounds vanished and the petal blossoms swept away. They gathered in an ominously swirling cloud around the captain from before, who stood unscathed a mere hundred feet away instead of the miles further they had thought.

They had been tricked.

"Get back," Their master hissed, and they were only too willing to flee as they saw him turn and bark out one more command.

"Run wild: _Locura!"_

O--O--O

 **\--Soul Society, the Seireitei--**

Looking over the live displays from the battlefields, Captain-Commander Yamamoto's brow furrowed. Every division under his command had trained well, that was undeniable…but it had not been enough.

The rank-and-file soldiers could handle the swarms of lowlier Hollows, but as soon as even the weakest Arrancar intervened his forces crumpled. Casualties from nearly every division kept rising, with the enemy suffering only minor losses so far. To his chagrin, he could neither truly justify holding the two divisions devoid of captains in reserve, nor believe that they could have made much of a difference regardless. The seated officers, on the other hand, were holding their own admirably; some better than others, to be sure, but already some of the battles were shifting in their favor.

A slight sound from behind had the aged man turning slightly; another of the Seireitei's scouts had appeared, the angular wooden shade they wore covering this ones face entirely as they knelt. Yamamoto waited for the report for several moments before his eyes narrowed, inspecting the figure carefully. A deep male voice spoke.

"Figures you would be the one to notice," it said, the figure rising out of its crouch smoothly as the words pitched upwards, resolving into a low, husky, but determinedly feminine tone. The rest of the uniform shifted, soft curves appearing underneath where before there were none. Sharp golden eyes glinted out from under the visor, dark skin framed by delicate locks of black hair.

The commander's stare widened ever so slightly. "Yoruichi Shihoin."

The slender woman removed the headpiece with a deft hand, smiling fondly. "Genryusai. You look well."

The commander met her eyes with a respectable amount of caution; her exodus from the Soul Society all those years ago was well known the older members of the Court Guard Squad. She had neither been exiled or outlawed in any regard, primarily due to her status as the head of one of the four noble families, as well as – at the time – captain of the Second Division. As far as legality was concerned, she was in a gray area.

"Why are you here?" he probed; his own opinions on the subject did not matter, not now.

Yoruichi's smile faded.

"With the current…situation," she said delicately, "there's someone who needed to speak with you." She nodded down to two small black spheres sitting on the floor that he hadn't noticed. A slight hum and light erupted from each, forming a hazy, transparent circle of blue in the air between them. After a moment the image settled, and a man he hadn't seen in over a hundred years appeared.

"…Kisuke Urahara."

"Captain Commander," the other Shinigami replied respectfully, tipping the brim of his odd hat. Those ever-sharp eyes peered at him under its shade, and a faint feeling of nostalgia for older times passed over Yamamoto.

"I apologize for interrupting during your operations," the former captain continued, "but with how things stand, I can't just sit idly by."

Part of the old Soul Reaper was displeased that the exile clearly knew of current events in the Seireitei so well, but he quelled any discontent before it showed.

"So be it," he stated. "I can only assume there is a reason for your reemergence."

"Yes." A glimmer of something unknown flashed in the other's eyes. "I must ask, Commander: does the word 'Hogyoku' mean anything to you?"

O--O--O

 **\--The Human World--**

Byakuya Kuchiki dove to one side, the petals of Senbonzakura guarding him rippling to the sides at another vicious impact, the white-robed silhouette of the Arrancar ripping through in a blur the next instant. An exertion of will had the rest of his zanpakuto collapsing into an orb around the boy, the pink-tinted cloud swirling rapidly as it closed in. A maniacal cackle emanated from inside, another detonation of crimson scattering the cloud, and his enemy appeared out of the smoke just in time for a flash of lightning to light up the area like day.

With the failed attempt to eliminate the two Arrancar women earlier, the head of the noble Kuchiki house had witnessed two things he had previously believed impossible; a Hollow putting itself at risk to protect another being, and what appeared to be a zanpakuto release that somehow did not change the actual weapon itself. With the transformation he had personally watched the cracks in the oversized blade vanish before it was sheathed once more, and he was immediately forced to admit that the creature he now faced was infinitely more dangerous for it.

The piece of bone on his temple had re-formed into a curving expanse over the top of the head while leaving the face uncovered, two distinctly-angled horns spiking forwards aggressively. The shock of orange hair underneath had lengthened with it, protruding out at the back of his nape. Pale skin had lightened further into a distinctly inhuman shade of white, while curving lines of black had appeared in an angular helix down his exposed arms, terminating in a loop on both the back of the hands and the rounded skin of his shoulders. The clothing that the boy wore had…extended, for lack of a better explanation; the white vest remained sleeveless, while the bottom had lengthened into a ragged-edged coat trimmed in vivid red sweeping around his ankles. To complete the change his eyes now glowed with an unnatural light, the surrounding sclera having turned an inky black.

The overall impression was made even more unsettling by the toothy, too-wide grin and chilling laughter that he erupted with seemingly at random.

To add to his troubles, the Arrancar seemed to know exactly when he was going to release his Bankai; the tiniest fluctuation of his spiritual pressure had the Hollow reacting with unbelievable speed. Any time he prepared a Kido the other was already evading, and the two times he had been ready to release his zanpakuto again Byakuya had found himself buried under a blinding assault before he could try.

The captain formed a glowing sword out of his Shikai as the Arrancar darted in again, parrying one jarring impact and stabbing for the man's neck in the same motion. In a blur one pale hand snatched it away, jagged black claws forming on each fingertip as he crushed the blade back into separate petals with a deft twist, vanishing as the rest of Senbonzakura swept in from the side.

Byakuya turned calmly to watch the Arrancar land a short distance away, meeting the other's gleeful expression with a calm mask of his own.

Even one misstep would decide his fate.

O--O--O

Heaving one last weary breath, Renji cast a searching look up into the rain and clouds far above, Shikai held cautiously at his side.

 _Those Arrancar girls have to still be up there somewhere…no way I'm that lucky._

With Captain Kuchiki's intervention and his own subsequent retreat to the suburbs below, he had lost track of the two matching women – to his relief and irritation both. He knew that he couldn't win against the pair, he had realized that only too quickly.

But that was also the part that infuriated him.

A colossal noise from above had his eyes darting to where Captain Kuchiki was clashing against the horned Arrancar, prompting another surge of anger before he quenched it.

 _That might be the one who captured Rukia…but it's also the one that let her go. Don't be an idiot._

Renji felt a small chill run down his spine at the sensation of the Hollow's enormous reiatsu even with how far away he was. Shaking himself, he wiped the rain out of his eyes and stared back up, scanning methodically.

He didn't envy his captain in fighting that monster.

O--O--O

 ** _Jump._**

Ichigo leapt up, narrowly avoiding another wave of shimmering pink blades.

 ** _Attack._**

He lunged forward, his claws skittering off of an artful parry from the Shinigami with a shower of sparks.

 ** _Dodge._**

He blurred into a Sonido, appearing behind and scoring a glancing blow on the man's shoulder. A laugh bubbled up from some deep place in his chest, echoing in the night.

Part of his mind knew something was off, but he didn't care. What was the point of it, when all that having a clear head did for him was hurt?

So he let instinct guide his hands, the thoughts barely appearing in his mind before he was moving.

 ** _And in the end, this is so much more FUN._**

Ichigo laughed at the thought, barely realizing he had allowed the Soul Reaper too much time; already gigantic blades were appearing from midair around the Shinigami, a huge surge of spiritual pressure washing over him.

It only sharpened the hunger that was gnawing at his core, and Ichigo bared his teeth in a savage smile.

 ** _This is better…right?_**


	18. Chapter 18

Editing/QC: Trolzylulzy

 _Blegh. Thats how I feel about the delays with this one. Just...blegh._

 _Some of you may remember that I had recently moved, but a bunch of irl crap that came up immediately afterwards was another heavy blow to my writing time. Don't want to bother you with all the details, but I will once again say this: I ain't never giving up, and this will be finished properly. Which I feel needed to be clarified due to the sheer amount of time it took me to get this out._

 _Again: blegh._

 _Anyways, here we are._ _I want to once again thank everyone who's still hanging on and waiting ever so patiently for my uploads._

 _Also, a small apology ahead of time to anyone out there who quite likes Lieutenant Hisagi...such as my editor, who was very annoyed with me once he looked over this chapter. It was necessary, I swear._

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 18:**

"Hey, did you guys hear the news?"

Tatsuki raised her head at the question, frowning at Keigo for a moment before she remembered. "You mean the weird weather reports from last night?"

Her energetic classmate threw his hands up as if to say 'well duh', looking exasperated. "Do I mean the weird weather?! Of _course_ I do, it's still happening! Sudden storms, crazy temperature changes – you know there were reports of an explosion overseas, out in the middle of nowhere? And they didn't find any cause for it!"

"Oh, yeah?"Tatsuki was trying to sound as if she was interested, she really was. She was just failing. Keigo seemed to pick up on this, wilting for a brief moment.

"Hey, Mizuiro, back me up here!" He pleaded, turning away.

Their black-haired classmate nearby glanced up from where he'd been tapping away at his phone, one casual eyebrow raised. "Not more conspiracy theories, I hope?"

He and Tatsuki smiled a bit at the aggravated noise their friend made before, surprisingly, he grew more serious, looking back down. "Actually, I think Keigo's right."

"I-I am…?" the boy in question said, sounding as if he could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"For once, yeah," Mizuiro nodded, sinking into a seat next to Tatsuki. "I've been getting messages from all over the place. Thunder without any clouds around in Africa, sudden hurricane-force winds over in America. An entire city in Europe just went dark, apparently enough electricity went through the power lines to take out the power plants themselves, they've never seen anything like it."

"Wha- how the heck do you know about any of that? It wasn't on the news earlier!"

Mizuiro shrugged easily, giving them a mysterious sort of smile. "You know…friends."

Tatsuki snorted out a laugh, shaking her head. "You have always been weirdly connected." The two continued to bicker casually as she found herself pondering the news.

 _Unnatural weather, random power outages? Not so long ago, we would have been seeing similar things here in Karakura. Although not on the same scale._

She frowned as a realization struck.

 _In fact, this town's been weirdly quiet compared to before Ichigo…_

A sudden wave of sadness threatened to overtake her for a moment, but she resisted it – and the urge to look around for Orihime. Tatsuki sighed, turning slightly to see the noonday sun streaming through the classroom windows, casting everything in a warm glow. She thought, very briefly, that if it meant having the occasional oddity occur in the town, she'd much rather have her old friend back.

An odd noise from Mizuiro brought her back to reality as he frowned down at his phone again.

"The storms, they all just…stopped."

O--O--O

"Any update?!" Hisagi bit out, using the split-second he had a hand free to tap the communicator on his ear into life; the crackling 'negative' from the other end only deepened his exhaustion. Narrowly dodging several strikes, the agile man tugged Kazeshini into a whirling pattern behind as he darted away from the main group of Arrancar pursuing relentlessly.

In the many hours since the battle had begun their regular forces had been nearly routed, no matter how fiercely Captain Komamura and he had fought. Nearly three hours after the rest had been ordered to retreat back to the Seireitei only he, Lieutenant Iba, and the huge captain remained - and they were reaching their limit. The previously tranquil stretch of mountainous countryside that the conflict had drifted to was littered with the gruesome remains of both sides, bodies scattered and torn leaving trails of crimson in the wake of their struggle.

With a shout Iba leapt in behind the Arrancar closing in, scoring a deep cut on one with his oddly-shaped Shikai before whipping a devastating punch into the face of another; the meaty crunch of bone that followed made even Hisagi wince. Taking another moment while the Hollows scrambled to respond to the new threat, he managed to catch another glimpse of Captain Komamura's gigantic Bankai sweeping through another group of enemies a short way away.

The other Lieutenant dashed up to join him, breathing labored and favoring one hand gingerly.

"Tough bastards," he grinned ruefully, ever-present sunglasses glinting in the sunlight, "even their faces are harder to hurt. Worked though, eh?"

Hisagi let out a weary laugh, noting the rest of the Arrancar, nearly a dozen, circling the pair warily. Iba noticed as well, the humor fading from his expression. They traded a look before moving back-to-back, raising their Zanpakuto in readiness.

"Any idea on how much longer we have?" Iba muttered.

Hisagi shook his head, taking a moment to make sure the enemy wasn't attacking yet.

"Haaaa…'course not. Well, got any ideas? The Captain and I are tough, but I don't think this is going to last much longer."

"Yeah…" His eyes flicked down to the sickle in his right hand, the silent affirmation in his mind coming almost eagerly. "Iba, how much time can you buy me?"

The burly man scratched at his jaw.

"Against this many? How much do you need?"

"As much as you can give me."

Iba shot him a searching look. A slow, wide grin grew. "You got it." The Lieutenant let out a strange combination of laugh and bellow, leaping towards the tightest pack of Hollows as Hisagi raised both sickles in preparation, focusing inwards.

 _Kazeshini…it's time._

A low cackle echoed in his mind, a surge of energy rushing out from the poles in his hands. He moved the weapons up in front of him, one blade from each interlocked with its twin. Visible strands of reiatsu began to waft off the steel, and he heard the Arrancar shout a warning just before a shimmering yellow Kido barrier formed in the air around him, neatly diverting a cero that had been sent his way.

Still focusing, he sent a silent thanks to Iba as his power flared again. Hisagi let out a long breath, eyes snapping open as he spoke.

" _Ban_ -"

"Oi!"

Startled, he looked around, just barely catching the signs of a garganta portal shrinking and fading into the air.

"Did you scare them off?" Iba landed nearby, rugged features looking as if he couldn't decide whether to be pleased or annoyed.

"Uh…"

Lowering his Zanpakuto, they both looked over to see Captain Komamura's Bankai slowly dissipating into thin air as well, not a single live Hollow left around him.

"...I don't think that was me."

O--O--O

 **\--Hueco Mundo--**

Three portals tore open, splitting the serene desert; five silhouettes emerged.

Nelliel sheathed her Zanpakuto slowly as she stepped onto the moonlit sands, hiding any outward signs of weariness and brushing at the scuffs and dirt on her clothes as she waved Pesche and Dondochakka away. Starrk followed after wordlessly, the man immediately heading to the side and plopping down in the sand some ways away, his tiny follower trailing along morosely. To her left Grimmjow stalked out of his own garganta, looking furious and showing visible wear and tear from battle; his entire right forearm in particular was coated in gore. Barragan ignored his fellow Espada and fracción both as he emerged looking none the worse for wear, stomping away to form his customary bone-encrusted throne and seat himself with a – also customary – huff of impatience. Ulquiorra quietly landing to her right she barely registered for a moment until a certain lack of something else caught her attention.

"Ulquiorra, where is Yammy?"

The Fourth Espada met her eyes with the same cold absence as always, but there was a faint tinge of annoyance in his voice when he finally spoke. "…Dead."

Grimmjow abruptly stopped pacing, while Barragan's wrinkled features scrunched together more than usual; even Starrk's head lifted up from his prone position in the sand so far away.

"How in the hell-" Grimmjow started to snarl before yet another portal split the air nearby, spilling out two struggling figures.

 _Harribel? And…is that..?_

With a loud impact Ichigo was launched away from the portal as his and the Third Espada's fracción spilled out, all bearing the stains of combat.

Tier Harribel had released her Resurrección at some point, curved plates and a skirt of smooth bones covering her modesty while angular gauntlets and boots wreathed her limbs. Her Zanpakuto had converted to a somewhat nostalgic form; a massive double-edged greatsword in the shape of a shark's tooth that she fluidly swapped to her right hand, her eyes fixed on their young friend as he rose from the crouch he had landed in after his short flight.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was hardly recognizable. She had seen his Resurrección once before, but the man she saw now was something else entirely; his bright orange hair was matted with dirt and blood both, more coating his exposed arms and face, which was split in a wild smirk that seemed far too wide to be entirely natural. More crimson stained his hands, the fingers curled and twitching. His eyes, back to their glowing yellow irises and inky black sclera, darted around at each Espada before focusing again on Harribel; he let out an odd high-pitched giggle, vocal cords audibly strained and cracking, and pounced.

Nel immediately darted forwards, intercepting one clawed hand with her own blade. Wincing from the force, she managed to shove him away and shout for assistance. Harribel leapt in without hesitation, keeping Ichigo at bay for a precious few seconds before he blinked away with repeated Sonido, reappearing in the distance. With an echoing shriek, his blood-red reiatsu erupted with staggering force, whipping the desert sand into a whirling frenzy of sound. Nel grimaced, readying herself for another long fight – a low growling laugh from behind threw her off and Grimmjow rushed past, bloodied hand whipping out his sword, expression feral.

"Grind, _PANTERA!"_ The Espada leapt, vanishing in a whirlwind and emerging covered in plate-like armor segments, feline tail and long blue mane of hair streaming behind as he collided claw-to-claw with Ichigo.

 _Surprising, but not unwelcome…_

She turned away, looking to Harribel for answers as she stepped closer, lingering only a moment on seeing the blonde woman's face fully for the first time. Coming level with Nel on a slightly raised dune, she took several moments to lean on her massive weapon wearily.

"I'm not sure what brought this on," the Espada admitted once she had caught her breath. "It seemed like the longer he was in his released state, the more unstable he became. In the end, we had to force him to retreat once the order came. I managed to lure him through the garganta thanks to these two." At this she nodded to Yin and Yang nearby, who, while appearing just as tired as the rest, still inclined their heads respectfully. Her own followers approached as well, watching the two Espada in the distance clash with a metallic screech.

Everyone present started uncomfortably as another voice echoed in their minds, only realizing a moment later that it was coming through the telepathic link that the Ninth Espada, Aaroniero, maintained in times of urgency: _"Are you all very done just letting him run around like that?"_

The impatience in Szayelaporro's voice was apparent even in its disembodied form.

Nel's green brows furrowed in annoyance. "Can't you do anything yourself?" she asked, wincing some at seeing Grimmjow take a vicious slash to one shoulder – he rebounded a moment later, still grinning.

 _"I suppose I could."_

There was a long pause.

"…And?"

" _I don't, as such, care to."_

Harribel frowned disapprovingly, while the tirade of curses Nel flew into that would have made even the most taciturn soul flinch.

"Fine then," Nel snapped, thoroughly exhausted of the entire situation, "we're stopping him ourselves."

Harribel nodded as if nothing strange had happened, straightening her stance. "Do you have a plan?"

The dark-skinned woman saw her expression darken moodily before Pesche suddenly stepped up, one finger raised and his pale eyes on the Third Espada's weapon thoughtfully.

"If I might suggest a rather, ah... _blunt_ approach?"

O--O--O

Several minutes later they were set, their roles determined. The two Espada prepared themselves to intercept and deflect Ichigo's assaults as long as possible, while the seven fracción assembled to the side; the twin sisters still looked nervous, the Tres Bestias weary but grimly determined. Pesche and Dondochakka somehow appeared rather bored with the proceedings.

"We've been through worse," the pale-skinned man assured them with a roguish wink, while the larger of the pair had just nodded ponderously.

Lady Nelliel cast them a final look before nodding at her fellow Espada, darting forwards and into the fray – to Grimmjow's immediate and audible displeasure.

Their master let out another cackling laugh as the two flanked him on both sides, blades sweeping both at his head and legs. As expected, he evaded with an agile twist, vanishing in a blur and appearing to the side – just in time for the rest to act.

Yin and her sister dashed forwards, a salvo of fireballs and blindingly fast snaps of her whip catching the man off guard. Dondochakka suddenly reared from behind, his huge studded club descending at the back of Ichigo's head with startling speed. The same reflexes as before saved the young Espada, one clawed hand catching the weapon with a snarl, the other knifing in at the Arrancar's exposed stomach – Pesche appeared in between, his glowing Zanpakuto sending the strike aside with a deft parry. Lady Nelliel joined in as they backed off, the rapid exchange of blows between the two so fast it sounded like the metallic crashing of a cymbal. After she disengaged, Mila Rose and Apacci distracted Ichigo with a series of lunging feints long enough for Sung-Sun to dart out of the sand, the huge serpentine tail of her released form catching the Espada mid-jump and sending him into the desert with a colossal crash.

This exchange continued for a time, the two Espada occupying Ichigo enough to render his speed ineffective with the other Arrancar forming a sort of perimeter to hem him in. The increasingly frustrated sounds he was making attested to the effectiveness of the strategy, though all present had to wonder if the final stroke would be enough.

Finally he let out an inhuman howl of frustration, the force of which sent Nelliel and Yang flying. Dondochakka appeared far ahead of where Ichigo was running to, the jaws of his mask agape as he reared back, and with a bright yellow flash a small horde of insect-like Hollows erupted, temporarily hiding the Espada from sight as they swarmed over his form. Another loud screech and many of the beasts erupted into insubstantial vapor, disappearing just as quickly as they had appeared. Before the cloud dispersed Harribel appeared above with a Sonido, raising her weapon swiftly and crying out _"Cascada!"_ With the titanic sound of rushing waves, a swirling mass of water erupted from the blade, condensing into a pillar and flooding the surrounding desert for several hundred feet with an earth-shattering crash.

Several long moments passed before Ichigo reared from a waist-deep pool, eyes crazed and snarling like a wounded beast – before he could react Yin appeared over a nearby dune, visibly crackling with power, and sent her whip into the waters with a shout.

All present were blinded as the electrical current leapt through the available liquid, the desert lighting up like day for several brief seconds until the inevitable happened: the area disappeared as clouds of steam violently erupted, sending a massive cloud as had never been seen before in Hueco Mundo into the night skies above.

Sudden, jarring silence reigned immediately afterwards, until a slight sound was heard from the middle of the mist; Ichigo appeared once more, chest heaving, his body scorched and twitching uncontrollably. His head raised, and they still saw the same crazed fervor as before in those yellow eyes –

Without a sound, Harribel once again appeared behind him, her greatsword raised at head height as she whipped the flat of the blade forwards as hard as she could.

 _THWACK_

O--O--O

Ichigo held one hand gingerly to his temple, a groan slipping out as the spot – and consequently his entire head – throbbed painfully. An instant later he realized he was lying down, propping himself up on one elbow as gingerly as possible. It took another minute or so before he could manage to crack open one eye without even the slightest bit of light searing through his skull, but finally he could take in his surroundings, albeit very slowly.

 _Holy sh-_

With several slurred curses and a healthy amount of panic surging through the mental fog, he flattened himself back down, desperately searching for better purchase. His initial surprise wore off while the adrenaline worked its way through his system, finally clearing his head enough to try and process the situation. He was, he saw, on a titanic skyscraper; the surface of which was made of thousands of identical, blue-tinted and mirror-bright panes of glass, impossible to see through and so uniform in their placement that even at the seams there was hardly anything to grip on to across the entire width.

Relevant, primarily, because he was currently trying his best to stick to the side like some ungainly starfish, belly first and spread-eagled.

With some annoyance tinged with panic he realized he was also out of his released state and his Zanpakuto was nowhere to be seen, so he didn't have any claws to help his tenuous hold. Carefully looking up only revealed more of the same until the structure cut off some several hundred feet above, an inky-black sky stretching away as far as he could see. Another cautious look over one shoulder, while causing another mild rush of vertigo, showed that he was what must be hundreds of stories high on the building. Otherwise, the entirety of the visible horizon was an unbroken expanse of featureless nighttime desert.

 _Is this Hueco Mundo? I vaguely remember coming back, but I've never seen this place..._

Finally gathering himself, Ichigo dug his fingers into the tiny seams between the windows, preparing to jump off and land as safely as possible.

 _Okay. Three...two...one._

He inhaled sharply and let go.

A long few seconds passed before he processed the fact that he wasn't falling yet, and another long pause before he felt confident enough to try and figure out why. Hesitantly he pushed away from the glass, and only then did he realize that somehow, gravity was no longer pulling down to the ground, but instead horizontally to the surface of the building.

"What the hell...?" Ichigo muttered, still rather wary as he rose to his feet – sideways. The thought alone had him swaying, which to his chagrin didn't help his pounding headache in the slightest. He looked around unsteadily, still unsure of his footing on the smooth glass, when suddenly he realized he wasn't alone; there was another figure nearer than he to the top of the structure.

 _...Nothing else to do except try._

As he approached warily Ichigo began to notice something odd. The being was seated on the very edge of the corner, legs hanging off the edge dizzyingly, and stared off into the distance without having seemed to notice him yet. The strange thing was that he couldn't quite pin down even what it was; the silhouette seemed to waver and fade unpredictably, like tattered cloth twisting and furling in a slow breeze. Then, finally, it seemed to realize it wasn't alone. The figure half-turned while remaining seated, and Ichigo stopped in surprise some dozen feet away at the sight.

With the movement he could at last see that he wasn't seeing things, and in fact the being's entire body and dark hair, the same inky black color but tinged blue, were both trailing and shifting around its form unnaturally. The only real human features appeared as a pair of eyes and a span of pale white skin above; nothing lower was visible, the rest of its face hidden by the same shifting black mist.

He caught a flash of color from one flat blue eye before the figure turned away again, a low, male voice scratchy and rough from misuse barely audible: "Leave me be, creature."

Ichigo stopped, frowning at the defeated tone. Once he had, the strange figure slowly looked back over, angular brows raising.

"…No taunts today?" At this the being seemed to scrutinize him for a moment. With no reply forthcoming he sighed. "I won't complain, I suppose. Do what you will, just let me fade away in peace."

For some reason this rankled him, a scowl forming. "The hell do you mean by that?"

The man's angular brows rose for a moment. He then struggled to his feet unsteadily, eerily flat gaze never leaving Ichigo. Once fully risen it was even more apparent how insubstantial the man appeared; the odd fluttering effect of his silhouette and the inky black mist surrounding his lower face made it seem as if he would simply float away in a slight breeze.

He unconsciously took a step back at the intensity of the man's stare, which widened at the motion.

"It can't be…"

"Huh?"

The man wavered for several seconds. "Is that really you, Ichigo?"

What a weird question. "Uh…yeah. Do I know you?"

"I…I am-"

What the man said next Ichigo couldn't make out, as if the word had turned to noiseless static. Some of his confusion must have shown, for the figure nodded slowly. "I see."

"You see _what?!"_

The sudden outburst surprised both the mysterious figure – and himself – but at this point he was far too incensed by everything else recently to care.

"Cut the cryptic crap! Who the hell are you? Where is this? And why the fuck is everything _god-damned sideways?!"_

His shout vanished into the night sky without even an echo. The black-wreathed man blinked before the skin around his eyes wrinkled slightly, and Ichigo thought he might have smiled for a moment. The man began to speak after another long pause; Ichigo expected things to start making sense at that point.

They didn't.

O--O--O

 **\--Soul Society, Fourth Division medical ward--**

"Get this group to the intensive care ward, now."

"I need first aid here!"

"Where did Captain Zaraki run off to?!"

Raised voices and the clamor of the Fourth Division's medical center rang in his ears rather painfully. Spotting a temporary lull at the front doors, he made his way to them as swiftly as he could-

"Where are you going, Captain?"

A soothingly soft voice stopped him mere feet from the exit, but Byakuya Kuchiki knew better than to disregard the question. He turned just enough to see Captain Unohana stepping closer, her kind expression darkening somewhat as she saw the bloodstains still seeping through his Haori. Fighting the urge to leave regardless, he inclined his head respectfully. "I didn't think my injuries so severe as to bother your squad. I wished to recover at my own estate."

The elder captain frowned. "Preposterous, you are barely on your feet. You will stay here."

His lips parted to decline again, but she interrupted him swiftly. "I must insist, Captain. For your own good."

An involuntary shiver went down his spine at the expression that flashed across her deceptively warm face. He nodded begrudgingly and allowed himself to be led to a private room the next hallway over. Unohana murmured several quiet incantations as he reclined gingerly, speaking to the nearby attendants before extracting a promise from him not to leave without her permission – another two chilling smiles saw to that – and she left him to their care. In record time his injuries were cleaned and dressed in pristine white bandages, the last around his head to cover a particularly deep cut above one brow, and he was finally left alone with his thoughts.

 _The commander was right,_ Byakuya mused quietly, thinking over the exhaustingly long night. _The Hollow forces were strong, but almost less so than we would have expected._

At first the enemy had seemed nearly endless in numbers, both hundreds of average Hollows and the much more powerful Arrancar, but as the fighting intensified, they seemed...unprepared for the level of resistance they encountered.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, and a slim form entered.

"Rukia."

"Brother." his adopted sister bowed slightly before stepping to his bedside, appearing both happy to see him and distressed to see his extensive array of bandages. She, on the other hand, looked hardly the worse for wear other than the tired lines around her eyes. "Were the forces you encountered that dangerous?" She asked after a moment, watching him carefully.

"It would seem so," he admitted easily; there was no shame in the injuries he had sustained. "What of your own battle?"

To his faint surprise, Rukia's expression turned difficult.

"I...I'm not exactly sure. I faced the strangest pair of Hollows I have ever seen...two of my captors from before, actually. The thing is, I don't believe they were really aiming to kill."

Byakuya raised one brow curiously, remembering the tales of her temporary imprisonment in Las Noches. "I would not have expected leniency from any Hollow, no matter your familiarity."

Again, her expression tightened. "Neither did I."

Resolving to look into the matter at another time, Byakuya gave her a moment to shake away the memories before continuing. "I believe I faced another known enemy as well. The orange-haired boy."

Rukia's eyes widened in surprise, glancing again at his numerous wounds. She went to say something when a knock came at the door, and with the words forgotten she went to open it automatically. A Fourth Division nurse was revealed to be on the other side, dressed all in white and looking rather flustered – and, oddly enough, somewhat pink in the face.

"I apologize for the interruption, Captain, Lieutenant," the woman said while bowing to each in turn, "There seems to be an important visitor for you, here on orders of the Captain-Commander himself."

Rukia frowned. "In regard to what?"

"I believe it was about the Hollow you both encountered. Apologies, ma'am, I don't know much more." She then turned and held the door open for a much larger figure.

Byakuya's eyes widened at the sight, and with vivid clarity he remembered the old reports that Captain Komamura had brought to the Seireitei's attention in the past months. Rukia stood transfixed, as if she had seen a ghost.

 _It can't be…_

O--O--O

Ichigo's brow dipped into a familiar 'V' shape as his mind worked away; a short distance away the strange figure was gazing back out over the desert without a word.

 _Okay...I think I get it._

"So...let me get this straight." he began hesitantly, causing the other man to glance over. "This place is my...what, 'inner world'?"

"Yes."

"And you were – er, _are_ \- my Zanpakuto?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Right. And you've been here since...?"

"The beginning," the man said quietly, sounding incredibly tired.

"And you know now – sort of – what happened to me. As far as I know."

"Yes. Normally those inside this world would always be aware of what is happening outside, but we were somehow...cut off."

Ichigo blinked. "What do you mean 'we'?"

The figure turned again in surprise before seeming to shake himself slightly. "Apologies, I forgot you don't know anything, even...as you are."

The odd statement had Ichigo frowning, but it was forgotten as the man gathered himself and continued.

"There were, in the beginning, three in this world. Myself as your Shinigami power, a strange aged man that represented your Quincy heritage – I never knew his name – and another creature who embodied your inner Hollow. When you were alive, we three existed here in a sort of balance; each was equal to the other, and your human self ensured that we remained separate, individual. With your...passing," he said delicately, "something changed. You said you were killed by a Hollow?"

Ichigo's expression tightened at the memory. "Yeah."

The man nodded. "I believe that to be the catalyst for what came next." He sighed as if the mere thought pained him. "All I remember is this world shattering, the very land and sky crumbling away. I knew at that instant you had left the mortal world, and somehow the Hollow inside of you was...empowered. In that instant, your soul was drawn not to the Soul Society as would have been expected, but flung away into the depths of Hueco Mundo. From there, I do not know what happened."

"I woke up in the Menos Forest," Ichigo provided.

The man's eyes narrowed in thought. "That should be impossible. Turning into a Hollow would typically reform the soul nearby, still in the mortal realm."

"I've been told that 'impossible' has never really applied in my situation."

"Clearly," he replied in amusement, though the levity quickly faded. "With that, this world became dominated by your Hollow self, as I assume you began to gain strength in the outside as a Menos?"

Ichigo recalled the voracious and unending hunger he had awoken to, replying with only a nod.

"I see. Then that is when things...diverged."

The dark change in the man's voice had Ichigo looking back up. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Ichigo, that I should not even exist. I am the incarnation of your Soul Reaper self, as such I should have been consumed by the Hollow without hesitation – and yet here I remain. Not only that, but I have been slowly growing stronger over time. I do not know how, and I do not know why. All I can tell is that you have gained control, and perhaps one day you will be able to hear my name. I cannot even begin to guess at anything else."

"Right..." Most things that the man had said made logical sense, but it was all going to take time to process. He suddenly realized that one detail had never been covered. "What happened to the other two that were here? Where did they go?"

His question roused the being from his thoughts, and those eerie blue eyes turned down to the distant base of the building they stood on. "The old man is still alive, but as the Hollow grew, he seemed to diminish...unsurprising, considering his origin." Ichigo squinted, barely making out a dark pool of shadow slightly out of place in the sand far below.

"As for the other, I'd hoped that would be obvious," he heard the Zanpakuto spirit say quietly, and Ichigo turned back to see it looking at him. Slowly, its gaze drifted down to the mirror-bright glass they stood on.

A nearly perfect photo-negative of himself stared back, eyes burning like yellow coals.


End file.
